The Storm Before The Calm
Author: Greg Bush
With his regular band The Living End in a state of hiatus since 2018, Chris Cheney has taken advantage to complete his first solo release, The Storm Before The Calm. The album had its beginnings in Nashville in 2016 when Cheney was dealing with personal demons. It was completed in locked-down Melbourne, his angst-ridden songs now balanced by more positive material. Cheney and his family spent many years living in Los Angeles, hence the rock track ‘California’, a place that holds fond memories for him. He slows the pace for ‘Still Got Friday On My Mind’, a song dedicated to his late father. Cheney reminisces again on the acoustic ballad ‘Football Team’ and misses the good times and friends of his youth on ‘Corner Shop’. ‘The River’ is a strong, emotive rock number, and he sings of sleeplessness on ‘2AM’, another up-tempo track. Cheney has survived his “stormy” days in good style with this solo debut.