Chelle Rose: Chasing Ghosts

"Appalachian rock 'n' roll" is what Chelle Rose calls her rough-and-tumble mix of country, rock, blues and deep-fried, swampy soul. Chelle (pronounced "Shelley") has roots in both east Tennessee and North Carolina, and the vivid story songs on her Ghost of Browder Holler album let you see, hear and feel the thick Southern atmosphere that stokes the coals of her creativity. Judging by the artistic company she keeps, Rose is perfectly positioned: Ghost of Browder Holler is produced by outlaw country legend Ray Wylie Hubbard and features contributions from rock keyboard king Ian McLagan (Faces, The Rolling Stones) and alt-country heroine Elizabeth Cook, among others.

Rose came up on the sounds of country mavericks like Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams, and Browder Holler bears touches of everything from Williams' whiskey moan to the sultry, funky country-soul of Tony Joe White and Bobbie Gentry. The bluesy, goosebump-inducing ghost story "Browder Holler Boy" could be a spiritual sequel to Gentry's spooky smash "Ode to Billie Joe." On the more earthly side, there's the roof-raising, roadhouse-rocking "Alimony," an autobiographical anthem about busting out of a bad marriage to follow the muse all the way to Music City. From what we can see, that story has a happy ending. – Jim Allen, Google Play

Sorry, but this promotion has expired. Check Magnifier regularly for more free music.