CHICKEN WIRE EMPIRE

CHICKEN WIRE EMPIRE
WHAT MOVES MOUNTAINS

No Label
No Number

It all began back in 2014 when Jordan Kroeger and Ryan Ogburn teamed up at Wisconsin’s jamband scene. Ironically, they decided to form a traditional band and were soon joined by Jon Peik (banjo), Greg Brundage (guitar), and Ernest Brusubardis (fiddle). Their high-energy approach gained the attention of filmmaker Ross Monagle who followed the band on their travels around the area. The result was the 2016 documentary All It Takes. They soon felt they were again ready for the studio.

This new project features the strong writings of primary songwriter Kroeger, but also includes tunes from Ogburn and Brundage. Kroeger’s compositions include “Still In Love,” “Summer & Me,” “Seven Foot Man,” and “Maker.” Ogburn’s offerings include “Rope” and “Shotguns & Doublewides,” and Brundage contributes his “Reckless.” Other tunes include a nice take on Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers,” a new version of Bill Monroe’s “Old Dangerfield,” and a kind of funky alternative run at Woody Guthrie’s “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad.” The band is a tight unit instrumentally with a lot of intertwined picking between members. The vocals and harmonies are strong, and they play with a high-energy blend of traditional and modern approaches to their music. There is a lot to look forward to from Chicken Wire Empire. (www.chickenwireempire.com)BF