La Chinga Premiere “Right On” from New Album Freewheelin’
Though the vinyl is very nearly sold out on preorders alone, we’re still more than a month out from the actual March 25 release date for La Chinga‘s second album. You might recall that Freewheelin’ was reviewed and streamed here just after the New Year hit as a special preview, but the closer we get to the record’s arrival, it seems only fair to highlight some of what’s working so well throughout.
In some ways, the cover says it all. Contributed by Jason Cruz, the artwork for Freewheelin’ is as rife with classic ideas as the album itself. You get the trio — bassist/vocalist Carl Spackler, guitarist/backing vocalist Ben Yardley (also theremin, mandolin and lead vocals 
on “Faded Angel”) and drummer/engineer Jason Solyom — rocking out in a muscle car in space. I’ll be damned if that’s not exactly what these songs sound like. Written with a strong sense of structure, the tracks leave pretense to the earthlings and take off for boozy good times and unshakably resolve to kick ass. And so they do. Like many who’ve swaggered through the hallowed halls of Small Stone Records, La Chinga don’t couch their appreciation for ’70s heavy in retro production or hyperstylized vintage-isms. They remind across the span of Freewheelin’ that rock’s glory days aren’t some bygone nostalgia fodder, but they’re happening right now, probably in some bar, probably at unreasonable volumes. If that doesn’t scream “muscle car in outer space,” I don’t know what does.
La Chinga head to Europe next month to support the impending issue of Freewheelin’. It’s not their first trip over — they toured supporting their 2013 self-titled (discussed here) as well — but it’s worth noting they go on an especially vital collection of songs this time around. To that end, you can stream the premiere of the track “Right On” below.
The penultimate cut on the album, it follows a zig-zag through the righteous sections of rock and roll history — AC/DC hooks and brazen swing abound — and is every bit the soundtrack to the age in which one might wish one lived. Good luck getting the chorus out of your head before the album shows up in March.
Tour dates under the player. Enjoy:
La Chinga Freewheelin’ across Europe March Tour, 2016
11 March – Barcelona (Rocksound)
12 March – Azkoitia (Matadero)
13 March – Gorliz (Xurrut)
14 March – Donostia (Dabadaba)
15 March – Madrid (Fun House)
16 March – Gijón (Casino Acapulco)
17 March – Cangas de Morrazo (Sala Son)
18 March – Lugo (Club Clavicémbalo)
19 March – Santiago de Compostela (Sala Moon)
20 March – Porto (Porto Rio)
21 March – Estepona (King Creole)
22 March – Orihuela (La Gramola)
23 March – Zaragoza (La Ley Seca)
24 March – Bordeaux (Le Void, ex L’Héretic)
25 March – Montpellier (Black Sheep)
La Chinga at Small Stone Records
Tags: British Columbia, Freewheelin', La Chinga, La Chinga Freewheelin', Small Stone Records, Vancouver
