Cha Cha Cha

Fred Eaglesmith (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 15, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Lonesome Day
• ASIN: B003JLA4HQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,711 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

For thirty years Fred Eaglesmith has been traveling and playing his songs for anyone who wants to listen and judging by his quirky legion of fans, people have been. Recent cuts by superstars Toby Keith ("White Rose"), Miranda Lambert ("Time to Get a Gun") and Alan Jackson ("Freight Train") only add to the ride. Moving in step with his career momentum, Eaglesmith delivers his 18th album of finely penned tunes, Cha Cha Cha, which promises a little swing, a little soul and is an evolution of Eaglesmith's music. The playfulness of the album's Bossa Nova arrangements finds Eaglesmith in the midst of a love crisis. Songs such as "Careless," "I Would," and "Shallow" depict a man who is longing for lovers, but is short on takers. Featuring backup vocals by Austin's The Fabulous Ginn Sisters and raw, rocking arrangements from his always steady band, The Fred Eaglesmith Traveling Show, Eaglesmith is in the middle of a happy-sounding Bossa Nova dream, but without a partner.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Old Dog Learns Some New Tricks, July 19, 2010

By 

bluzboy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cha Cha Cha (Audio CD)

I'll admit I was skeptical buying this CD. I have all Fred's other stuff including the DVD'S and those cool cassettes that came in the handmade wooden boxes. I wasn't too big on "Tinderbox", a more recent album but he followed that up with "Milly's Cafe" which was excellent. With "Tinderbox", I thought Fred was going for a sound that just didn't fit his writing style. The album "Dusty" marked a new approach to his sound production and this album continues in that vein.
The first spin on the player wasn't a grabber. Fredheads aren't usually treated to back-up female vocals or keyboards so for a Fredhead purist the addition was a little jarring at first. But by the second spin I was grinning broadly. "Dynamite and Whisky is the standout "rocker". Fred's growl perfectly fits the demeanor of the tempo. "I Would" left me humming the ditty and singing along with the chorus. Fred's voice is a little gruffer now. Years and years and thousands of shows will take it's toll but when the voice fits the song it works well. "Shallow" is a good example of old Fred balladry meeting new production values and it works well. It's probably my favorite song on the cd.
I still long for an old-style Fred album. "There Ain't No Easy Road", "From the Paradise Motel" and "Things Is Changing" represent the zenith of Fred's songwriting skills. The classic "Drive In Movies" is on my top 10 albums list to put into a time capsule so future generations get a sense of the essence of troubador-style music. "Cha Cha Cha" gets better with each listen but will never rise to the level of Fred's previous work.
I'll never forget my first Fred Eaglesmith live show. Four guys- Fred, Willie, Ralph and Washboard Hank on percussion. It was about 25 degrees and we were outside at Skippers Smokehouse in Tampa, Fl. Fred was in a short-sleeved shirt chuckling at how cold we all looked. I had never seen a performance like that. Although we were freezing at the edges, Fred warmed us all with heartfelt balladry and stagemanship. We all miss you Willie P.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars quirky legionairre likes this one a lot, June 28, 2010

By 

C. R. Bupp (Lafayette, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cha Cha Cha (Audio CD)

Amazon refers to Fred's quirky legion of fans. I am (one of the) legion and love this cd. Fred once again takes his own road - maybe as with "Dusty" all the Fredheads won't love this one, but there is much to at least like. The band gets tighter and tighter as time goes by, the Ginn Sisters vocals add a lot to the sound, especially "Careless", and have the right feel for what Fred is doing now. This CD gives us a good reason to learn how to cha cha.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fusion of Waits and Cohen, June 20, 2010

By 

D. Farrell (the Sunnyside of Louisville) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cha Cha Cha (Audio CD)

If the music of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen could somehow mate, this would be the resultant love child.