Deftly walking the line between crafty and heartfelt -- serious and fun -- musical flavors of rock, pop, folk, funk, blues, jazz, & world blend into a sweeping personal, political and romantic statement from a mature artist. With Secession, Chris shows us just how far he's come in recent years. The bulk of Secession was recorded in Chris' recently built home studio, and with studio time no longer being a constraint, he and the boys (along with the invaluable help of engineer and co-producer Troy Halderson) had a "license to kill", and the result is an ambitious musical trip. As for the title -- rather than thinking about the idea of Secession just in the political sense, Chris explores it more in the personal sense...in terms of declaring independence from the tyrannical things in your mind and in your past that hold you back. But in the same breath, he'd probably tell you to only keep half an eye on the "concept" and just enjoy the songs. From the accessibly poppy "Samantha", to the rocking "Edge Of The World"; from the gentle "My Quiet Love" and "Red Star Assassins", to the world-beat swing of "Secession"; from the bittersweet "All Away" to the sublime and elemental "Long Lost Son", Secession is a musical journey worth taking.

Safely Through The Night