On Rich Chambers’ latest release, a collection of all his singles from the past two years, collected in a neat package and titled ‘I Found The Volume’, he brings to the table a smorgasbord of riffs, licks, and hearty singing that’s serious at points, funny at others, but uniformly memorable and charismatic. It seems true that Rich Chambers found the volume, and turned it all the way to 11.
Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, Rich Chambers is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter who claims to bring a modern reimagining of the classic rock and roll sound we have known for years, and listening to ‘I Found The Volume’, it’s easy to see that this isn’t far off from the truth. One thing we know is true is that Rich Chambers‘ passion is true, and the energy he brings to the songs is authentic.
On ‘I Found the Volume’ Rich has collected his singles he has released since January of 2021, and for sounds collected from a span of 2 and a half years, the cohesion between the songs is amazing. A trademark of an artist who has long discovered his voice and owned it. The very first cut ‘I’m a Fool for Loving You’ is a sufficient introduction to the whole sound of Rich Chambers. From crisp and twangy tones playing electrified pop rock riffs that straddle the line that separates rock and roll and country, to his meaty vocal growls, immediately standing out in the mix, the song establishes a lot of the tropes that will be with us for the rest of the record.
That’s not to say that ‘I Found The Volume’ is monotonous or repetitive in any way. While the songs might end up sounding somewhat similar to an untrained ear or to casual listeners who aren’t necessarily into these musical colors, for the initiated, the vibes Rich is bringing are infectious and immediately grabbing. More so, the variety Chambers brings with his songwriting isn’t to be ignored. ‘You’re a Nice Guy But…’ sees Rich delivering a whimsical riff on top of a start-stop, syncopating beat, while he humorously laments being planted in the friend zone. Chambers’s storytelling delivery is compelling and effervescent, not to mention funny. The following cut ‘Tender Years’ sees Rich Chambers turning down his amp a bit for a spot of softness. An electrified ballad, the song introduces yet another sound to the roster of styles on Rich’s palette.
Rich’s deep seated love of country music can not be ignored either. Most of the album’s riffs seem to have roots in country in one way or another. From the twangy Telecaster tones, lightly overdriven, a sound synonymous with country music, to the fast-paced, driving grooves. Musically, the music has country written all over it. The mixes are also rock solid. The drums are in-your-face. Trebly, boomy, and delicious. The warm bass is engulfing and supportive, and the mixing is top notch. Not a single pop or squeak to mention, ‘I Found the Volume is an immaculately produced album.
Immediately charming and immensely loud, Rich Chambers’ ‘I Found the Volume’ is a sonic treat to lovers of rock and roll, rock, pop, country, or anything in between.
