Album Review- Chaparelle’s “Western Pleasure”
#510.1 (Classic country) and #510.7 (Classic California country) on the Country DDS.
When you roll up on the music of Austin-based band Chaparelle, your hipster radar immediately starts sounding. If you come to it as a traditionalist, your inclination is to want to hate it at first. But this band is endearing if nothing else, and quickly infectious, appealing to your classic country inclinations, but also tickling some guilty pleasures, while the uneasiness that swells in certain moments is an intended part of the experience. Ultimately, it’s hard to not approve.
Chaparelle is a throwback country supergroup of sorts, pairing indie-folk musician Jesse Woods with indie-pop performer Zella Day. Noted Texas producer Beau Bedford known for working with Paul Cauthen, Shane Smith & the Saints, and others is also directly involved. The foundation of Chaparelle’s sound is distinctly classic country. But then they work in unexpected forays into vintage pop and cheeky mod sounds that if nothing else, keep you on your toes and deliver something distinctive.
Jesse Woods and Zella Day’s partnership started as songwriting sessions in Austin’s satellite community of Wimberley. The professional and creative relationship quickly became romantic, and some of that early-relationship sexual energy and appetite creeps into songs like “Inside The Lines” and “Love Is Hot,” with Zella’s breathy Betty Boop delivery imbuing the moments with a lusty allure.
But there is ample heartbreak to their debut album Western Pleasure, found in emotionally formidable tracks like the opening “Bleeding Hearts,” or the sad story embedded in “Bad Loving,” or the simple but timeless sentiments of “All Things Considered.” Though moments of creative recess make for a strong secondary flavor to this album, it is grounded in country music realism, laden with steel guitar and other country sounds.
But if country music isn’t the only vibration you’re looking to pick up on, the groove of “Baby Jesus” is pretty enveloping. Chaparelle might have been founded in Central Texas, but there is a distinctly California vibe to this record too, inferred by the band’s name, which is a twisting of the “Chaparral” shrubbery found in the deserts of the West Coast.
Even when a song is not especially country, it’s still filtered through a vintage patina, like the Leslie Gore “You Don’t Own Me” tone of the Chaparelle track “Heart Broke Holiday,” or the Phil Spector production of the final song on the album, the band’s take on “Dance With Somebody” popularized by Whitney Houston.
Chaparelle certainly turns in an inspired and creatively assertive work that gives you ample material worth enjoying and discussing. But you do get that “cool kids” vibe from this project, not dissimilar to the works of Nikki Lane and Paul Cauthen. It feels like booger sugar was part of the inspiration, whether it actually was or not, while the country noir posturing will be off-putting to those in search of more rabid authenticity.
But make no mistake about it, Chaparelle’s Western Pleasure evokes a 1960’s country music fever dream rather exquisitely. Their choice to perform only in hip locations for the right audience has conferred this music a cool factor others only wish they could attain. It might not set the country music world on fire. But for those who seek those retro cool moments in modern country, Chaparelle delivers.
8.1/10
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April 25, 2025 @ 8:26 am
Ooh, that Bleeding Hearts song, with the moaning steel guitar, I like it.
April 25, 2025 @ 9:27 am
could be someone’s day at Milwaukee Summerfest on 6/27/25: Adam Warner -> Chaparelle -> Julien Baker / Torres -> Phil Vassar -> Jo Dee Mesina -> head Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan’s new project [not country]. $30 or less.
April 25, 2025 @ 9:28 am
Caught one of their shows in 2024 and it was up next to Pony Bradshaw and Childers as one of my favorite concerts of the year.
April 28, 2025 @ 3:42 pm
Their live show is incredible. Highly recommend.
April 25, 2025 @ 11:52 am
One of my favorite albums of the year so far. And that track – Bad Loving maybe my favorite of the year!!
Lets hope they buck the record of relationships in bands, as I want to hear a lot more from them.
April 25, 2025 @ 4:14 pm
I gave em’ a listen. I even checked out some live footage and checked out some other articles. Hipster is absolutely the target audience here, it isn’t even disguised.
Are they seriously talented? Yes! Harmony vocals? Check. Band? Very good indeed. Love the lead guitarists vintage Sears Silvertone. Here’s a short list of comparisons i came up with, at least to my ears, what I hear: Velvet Underground, Neko Case, Cowboy Junkies, She and Him, and 90s alt- rock in general. Thats the vibe I pick up listening to them. Shes got that unique alt singing style. They even have a video marketing them titled ” this band will completely change how you feel about Country Music”.
That makes it clear who the target audience is. Currently it’s chic to play ” ironic retro music” and so they have a pedal steel. And cowboy duds. I dont see true hard-core honky- tonk fans getting into this.
Yet the guy is quoted saying Jones and Wynette is his north- star. I honestly don’t hear any Jones/ Wynette styling here. None of the song structures even begin to approach that. It’s alternative rock with a pedal steel. Their vocals are outstanding, but Country? Ehhh…not to my ears.
But according to Jon Pardi, anything you wanna do is Country and it’s ” awesome”, so you have it.
I’m sure they will find their base, true talent rises and gets noticed, and if it were marketed more like She and Him and acts in that style, I say game on. But calling it Country and marketing it to non- Country hipster cool types , is non- interesting to me. I know many will disagree, but I’m coming from an honest place.
April 25, 2025 @ 5:40 pm
100% agree with you on the hipster assessment. But I just can’t listen to songs like “Bleeding Hearts” or “All Things Considered” and conclude “It’s alternative rock with a pedal steel.” Some of the songs are like that. Most of them are country music with a pedal steel.
It’s not an easy moment to navigate country music.
April 27, 2025 @ 4:12 pm
Define “hipster” which for me is a silly, overused and outdated term.
April 26, 2025 @ 6:23 am
I saw this album and on Apple Music and decided to check it out. Initially you think this another run of the mill retro country album. The songs provided in the article give you the same impression. But as you progress through the album you find some unexpected twists like Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks or Baby Jesus. Some of this is a bit kitschy like the mentioned cover of Dance With Somebody, but there also some gems like All Things Considered. I really liked Zella Day’s vocals as well. Reminds me a bit of Lindi Ortega.
Overall I like this album. Probably won’t give the whole album multiple listens straight through, but I’ve already added some of the songs to various playlists. Thanks.
April 26, 2025 @ 6:37 am
…perhaps “chic country” should be added to that DDDDwhatever scale. kimmy bitter, chaparelle, the wilder blue, nikki lane, lola kirke, sam williams, jamie wyatt, willow avalon and soon lana del rey perhaps too might fit such a bill rather nicely. sonically quite enjoyable this style.
April 26, 2025 @ 9:55 am
Liberal soy country.
April 27, 2025 @ 2:32 am
How do you come to that conclusion?
April 27, 2025 @ 8:34 am
His emasculated vocals and the “look at me” coquette of a female singer.
That cowboy needs to grow a beard, or maybe he already has one.
April 27, 2025 @ 8:04 am
Hell yeah. It’s awesome
April 27, 2025 @ 2:28 am
I don’t understand how Wilder Blue fits into your list.
April 28, 2025 @ 12:40 am
…i find, their latest album “still in the runnin'” is an enjoyable exercise in refinement. a little like the 60s and some of the 70s buick models, which always managed to communicate “a certain je ne sais quoi” that separated them elegantly/chic from rest out of the large gm stable. having said that, i took me a while to really warm up to that album. same goes for johnny blue skies’ beautiful “passage du desire” – très chic in a rock ‘n’ roll kinda way.
April 28, 2025 @ 12:42 pm
Ah, those are the things I really like. I’m enthusiastic about the last Wilder Blue album, and Johnny Blue Skies’ aka Sturgill Simpson’s “Passage Du Desire” as well. But I would never mention those works in the same breath as “Western Pleasure” or Chaparelle.
April 27, 2025 @ 8:00 am
I don’t appreciate this term at all, since there’s no consistent basis to it. However, another one that falls into vintage mod pop country soul — Natalie Bergman’s “Gunslinger.”
April 27, 2025 @ 8:04 am
Maybe there’s a need for a “chic country” definition or something along those lines. But to me, a lot of these influences fall under the California influence of country, which is especially illustrative this week as Stangecoach rages in Indio, and a lot of this ultra-stylized imagery gets emphasized.
But in truth, this is a classic country album. That’s what it is more than anything else. And then you have three or so songs that give off such as strong signal in a different direction, it throws people off the scent.
April 27, 2025 @ 9:16 am
Speaking of Californian influence:
What’s striking, especially among many new female independent musicians who have become known in the last two or three years, is the immense influence of Fleetwood Mac, especially Stevie Nicks, both in her vocal technique and her stage presence. These musicians are obviously influenced by classic country as much as by West Coast pop and other influences.
And there are primarily female artists, especially but not exclusively from independent country, who cultivate an absolutely striking, captivating visual image: for example, Noeline Hofmann, Willow Avalon, Maggie Antone, Zandi Holup, or the Castellows. And above all, of course, Sierra Ferrell. This strong integration of the visual component, which more or less strongly blends the classic country look with hippie chic, can also be considered a “Californian influence.”
Personally, I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all, because I consider these musicians to be extremely strong artistically, and the image doesn’t overwhelm the musical content, but rather underlines it.
These musicians certainly grew up with completely eclectic music playlists and the visual stimuli of social media. This certainly influences their work. And that’s a good thing in my opinion.
April 26, 2025 @ 8:14 am
I’m a sucker for shoegaze alt pop/indie rock (Camera Obscura, Alvvays, Courtney Bartnett, Father John Misty). I can definitely hear those anchoring sounds here in Chaparell, and if there is one thing about hipster bands is they certainly try for authenticity, not homage. Reminds me of Whitehorses new album.
April 26, 2025 @ 9:56 am
Soy latte country
April 26, 2025 @ 10:22 am
Yeah, it’s alt eclectic for sure, and like Trigger has his DDS for classifications for the many sub genre’s I kinda do just for me. I might give this some more spins on the morning drive into work, but it won’t be auditioned for hot sunny afternoon bike trail or headline heading out to a bar at night spot that’s reserved for the upper echelon records.
April 27, 2025 @ 2:52 am
On the one hand, Chaparelle’s (self-)ironic approach is quite refreshing. Country in particular is a genre in which a relaxed, ironic wink doesn’t occur very often.
On the other hand, Chaparelle’s ironic hipster concept somehow wears itself out over the entire length of the album. Apart from the pure hipster retro chic attitude, other facets are missing.
Zella Day’s “I’m the sexiest chic around” attitude and Jesse Wood’s “I’m the coolest guy in the scene” attitude wear out pretty quickly.
“Western Pleasure” doesn’t even sound like an album-length Nancy Sinatra-Lee-Hazelwood Western update. It’s not complex enough for that. It sounds more like an album-length country version of “Je t’aime mon plus” by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin.
April 27, 2025 @ 4:15 pm
I’ll ask you the same question I asked above: Define “hipster” which for me is a silly, overused and outdated term. Better yet, ” ironic hipster concept”?
April 28, 2025 @ 1:04 pm
For me, hipsters reveal several aspects:
They do everything they do with a blatantly displayed coolness. So cool that other nuances (emotions like vulnerability, anger) hardly play a role. The all-encompassing coolness completely dominates. Feelings never seem authentic, but always like role-playing. This is definitely the case with Chaparelle.
They do everything they do with a blatantly displayed ironic distance. This irony seems to exclude and isolate, rather than inviting and engaging. There’s something absolutely exclusive and cold about it. This is definitely the case with Chaparelle.
And as I said, I can’t detect anything more in Chaparelle than this displayed coolness and this detached irony/ironic distance. And I find this coolness and irony to be artificial, an image. In contrast, a guy like Charlie Crockett is really cool and also more complex than Chaparelle. They’re ultimately a novelty act. That’s not a bad thing and has always been a part of Western culture. But for me personally, it’s too artificial.
May 2, 2025 @ 11:58 am
And Charlie Crockett is the real deal? He used to rap on NYC subways. This is Chaparelle’s first album. Not bad for a debut of a new band. Do I like every song? No but they definitely have something going on.
April 27, 2025 @ 7:30 pm
Don’t mean for this to come off snarky, I mean this as a genuine question:
For those who are denigrating this and similar projects as “ironic/hipster,” (a charge that I do understand, to be clear, however difficult to define it may be), how would you prefer this type of music to be presented? While not necessarily reinventing the wheel, I think it’s a worthy and interesting addition and certainly far less offensive than a lot of what’s out there. Best as I can tell, it feels like we’re left with a few options for that sort of 60s countrypolitan sound in the modern day:
1) Leave it alone, it’s from a time and place and shouldn’t be re-tread
2) Bastardize it in some modern poppy hybrid
3) Try to perform it as authentically as possible and face charges of hipsterism
Personally, option 1 feels antithetical to the mission of this site. I know countrypolitan is not exactly the pinnacle of the country music that needs saving from the perspective of most on here, but it’s a real part of country history and a distinctive, interesting sound. By these standards, when bro-country had been dominating for years circa 2015, neo-traditional efforts should’ve been labeled “hipsterish” for trying to return to a forgotten sound. By the same token, Zach Top could face a similar charge today.
Again, not meant to antagonize, trying to sort it out for myself and curious if others have thoughts. There’s definitely something that can feel a little shallow and contrived about this kind of thing but I’d like to think there’s a way to make music like this in the modern day without it feeling overdone.
First time long time, Trig you rock brotha
April 27, 2025 @ 8:12 pm
Hey KingBird,
Thanks for reading.
I can’t speak for other commenters. But for me, this band is more classic country than it is anything else. Others are seeing the imagery, hearing some of the songs, and attempting to erase that fact that as a mathematical percentage, this music is majority classic country. That said, I definitely recognize the hipster element to this, though in this case, I’d be less of a critic of it, and more of an apologist for it, because it feels like they are coming to this music from a place of reverence as opposed to irony.
To me, there are two types of musicians who reprise ’60s country. You have folks like the ones in The Cowpokes, who play at Honky Tonk Tuesdays every week in Nashville. These are true old souls who ever since they were teenagers, were drawn to old stuff, and have devoted their lives to recreating the music and keeping it alive. Then you have folks who are simply looking to have a cup of coffee in country because it’s the hip place to be (i.e. “hipsters”), and then will move on and laugh at country as soon as it become uncool again. I think people are smart to be leery of the latter, though I’m not sure you can assume this of anyone. Only time will tell who is in it for the long run.
April 28, 2025 @ 1:26 pm
I don’t understand the comment. We can hear the answer to that every week in the new music releases.
For about two or three years, there have been dozens of highly talented young artists in their 20s and 30s who are saving country music in their own unique, incredibly diverse, and creative way. From A like Anna Bates to Z like Zach Top. They do it honestly and authentically. And without being purely hip retro projects like Chaparelle. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Chaparelle is bad. But to me, it’s novelty music, similar to Orville Peck, for example. It doesn’t really advance music, opens up any new horizons, and probably doesn’t inspire any new artists. Instead, it takes from the wealth of the past with ironic distance. That’s the approach that has dominated popular music over the past two decades. It ultimately made these two decades the least innovative in the history of popular music. And that’s been overcome by young country musicians for about two or three years now. That’s why country is currently experiencing such a massive crossover. It’s because of people like Zach Bryan, Wyatt Flores, Dylan Gossett, Sam Barber, Zach Top, Ole 60, Noeline Hofmann, and so on. Because they are more, much more, than cool detached ironists.
April 28, 2025 @ 1:34 pm
Yeah fair enough. In honesty I hadn’t listened to the full Chaparelle album yet when I commented, but the tracks I’d heard reminded me a lot of Kimmi Bitter, who I wouldn’t consider an ironist (maybe a bit of hipster, but I think she really just does love that sound/era of music and wants to emulate it). Having listened to the full Chaparelle now (and previous Zella releases as suggested by Kevin) it’s pretty hard to deny the cosplay element to it. Still did like the album, and hope it does end up being more than a hip one-off and they find some way to grow within it.
April 28, 2025 @ 5:32 am
Kingbird
I like your question. IMO, it’s a case by case basis. Thing is, I like many retro or throwback acts. Take BR549, for example back in the nineties, those cats did attract a certain hipster quotient, yes, but consider how they marketed their music. They played for traditional country music fans, they did well on The Opry, and even had some success on country radio. They also toured with George Strait. Country people caught on to them and they built a pretty good fanbase. Charley Crockett is unabashedly throwback, and admittedly too brings a bit of kitsch and rhinestone to what he does. But look how hard the guy works at reaching bigger crowds. He’s done well on The Opry, he’s done big country fests, rodeos, and the like. From the trenches, I’m seeing rural and blue collar people discovering him. I think he’s breaking out of that initial mold that throwbacks often find themselves in. Also, consider that Crockett has a country sounding voice.
Chaparelle thus far, seem to be connecting and marketing themselves with the art crowd. Listen to Zellas voice, her phrasing, the breathy thing she does, even her accent, its not country, it’s more alternative than anything else. Read interviews with her and her main vocal influence is Michael Stipe.
Listen to her past music to see where she’s coming from.
Is this a band that will catch traction with the rural folks, the 4H crowd, the heartland farm people, the Rodeo crowd? Never say never, but my gut tells me it’s not likely given the branding and marketing currently.
April 30, 2025 @ 8:20 am
I did watch this video last night on the 80″ for Concert night here at the mansion and really enjoyed it. I think they even closed with a new song that I liked. Take a look ………
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvFPq6JsuuY&t=174s
May 16, 2025 @ 3:25 pm
Need to give this another listen. First listen was okay but her voice is gorgeous. Knocked me out on the duet, Bad Loving!
I love both the guys who do the pedal steel playing on this — Russ Pahl & Will Van Horn, so that’s another bonus for me.