Our Pick: Bob Chartrand – Rebel Blues

Artist—Bob Chartrand
Song—Ditch the Chick
Album—Rebel Blues
Year—2012
Available on iTunes

It may be a Friday night or maybe even a Saturday and you are itching to get out and have a little fun. You enlist your significant other and maybe a few friends to go out to seek that escape through a little music and dance. It may be a community hall or a local bar somewhere with faces that are familiar where you feel completely at home. The band takes their place and strikes up their first song as you await your beverage order. Bob Chartrand and his band have been doing this for a while and though his album Rebel Blues might not win any big time music awards, it delivers what anyone seeking to have some fun and forget their work week troubles are needing. Bob has grassroots appeal with a country theme that rocks and even simmers with some soulful blues sensibility that makes him everyone’s night out band. The songs relate themes anyone can identify with, including some fun relationship advice on the upbeat Ditch The Chick. There is a balance in Bob’s songs driven by a twangy guitar, some warbling harmonica and straight forward rhythms that will appeal to everyone, driving them to the dance floor. Bob understands his audience, and songs like Where’s the Free in Freedom demonstrates that. She Lies gives you that slow dance moment while at the other end of the spectrum, Good Day To Ride would be best described as a foot-stomping romp. Bob Chartrand is an all around good time rockin’ country artist doing it his way with a little blues, as the album title indicates. Bob’s Rebel Blues make you feel good. It’s not fancy but its good and what’s not to like? The music award I’d give Rebel Blues would be for being one of the most authentic music releases.