The songs of “Bound, Chained, Fettered” are life lessons. Truthful stories sung with a voice that reflects and carries the emotional weight of time, obstacles overcome and wisdom earned. It is an album that takes stock; it is an album that probes the complex attachments of our contemporary world. The fragile ties that bind, the heavy chains that hold us in place; this is grist for Hale’s new album. The sparse but still detailed production enhances this pensive mood, yet what is revealed in the songs is ultimately positive and human. There is depth here not just simple repetition and abstraction.

To record “Bound, Chained, Fettered” Terry Lee ventured to Northern Italy to work with producer Antonio Gramentieri (Hugo Race, Dan Stuart) and his circle of musical cohorts, mainly because ofhis admiration for Gramentieri’s own productions with his band Sacri Cuori. In Terry’s own words: “Antonio is a fantastic arranger, guitarist and lap steel player. It has been years since I’ve worked with another guitar player and the timing really felt right for this new recording.”

All of Hale’s parts were recorded live with Antonio adding his accompanying lines at the same time from the control booth. A spare, unvarnished energywith Terry Lee’s voice always front and center was captured and magnified. The work of Matt Emerson Brown (Soft Hills, Trespassers Williams, The Walkabouts)as the mix engineer brought a fresh perspective and a three-dimensional resonanceto the collected songs.

Hale states: “I think this record is much more intimate and emotionally engaging than (his previous album) The Long Draw.Before I was the spectator, now I am the character.”

It is also sonically more adventuresome than The Long Draw. Light percussion and spacious atmospherics underlay many of the songs. A subtle mixture of synthesizer, piano, Hammond organ, bass .......
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