Review: Chris Emmert ‘The Magnolia Sessions’
Back in 2020, few people would have imagined that the enduring (and endearing) success of Anti-Corp Music’s The Magnolia Sessions would stretch into 2026.
Given the prolific and frantic pace at which mastermind Dan Emery released music over the first two series, it came as no surprise when the project entered a hiatus in 2022. By then, it had given the world a massive roster of talented bluegrass, dark country, and folk singer-songwriter acts that sat under the shade of the tree forming the centre of the Nashville compound.
With a veritable who’s who of incredible artists who shied away from the glossy country-pop sheen of the mainstream, The Magnolia Sessions showcased names like Cooper McBean, The Resonant Rogues, Adam Stambaugh, and Angela Autumn, just to scratch the surface. Since returning in late 2024 with Willi Carlisle’s instalment, released to benefit victims of Hurricane Helene, the series has continued at a more sporadic pace. This allows each new session time to breathe, making them feel all the more special for it.
As the new year dawned, Emery released a pair of new sessions, one of which was that of Ohio native Chris Emmert. The singer, who now calls Nashville his home, has his debut album, Fool From The Foothills, available on Anti-Corp Records, which weaves tales of his Appalachian heritage, crafting music built on a narrative of honest, blue-collar living. This session features a collection of old and newer songs recorded in late September 2023, which were kept on the back burner by Emery until he was ready to treat the world to Emmert’s raw blues emotion.
The jaunty opening of Oh-I-Owe It All To You, Ohio is upbeat, referring to the scenery, the Great Lakes, trees, and hills of the Buckeye state as sacred ground and professing his love for the place he left behind. Toe-tapping and catchy, the song is a light, heartfelt start to the session that doesn’t quite stray into yodelling on the chorus but plays on the sounds of the syllables as it intermingles with the up-tempo strums and his Midwest twang.
Faded Colours On Paisley Print slows the pace, shifting gears to a more wistful tale filled with reminiscence and observation. His voice begins to strain with passion as he relays the actions of the subject, while the music remains loose with an improvised feel that suits the tragedy of the subject matter. This dovetails into the gentle guitar work of Something To Miss, which works well with the chirping insects as the overall tone becomes more regretful. Emmert has a wonderful delivery that ebbs and flows to emphasise the more salient parts of the lyrics.
The introspective guitar tone gives the song a perfectly downbeat, yearning feeling that longs for brighter times. The eternal wondering that runs through the raw honesty of the track makes it tug on the heartstrings as he addresses the subject, imploring them to remember ‘the things we said’.
This release continues the high bar of quality Emery has set for the series and introduces yet another talented, passionate singer to a wider audience…
After a low-key introduction, Talking Waiting Blues adopts a quirky conversational tone, featuring a fast vocal delivery over bright picking. Emmert’s voice is light and soothing as he details the ordinary lives of people using seemingly inconsequential details, such as a child wanting ice cream. The twanging bends on the guitar, and the rhythmic stops keep the pace moving as the track flies by. There is a vivid colour to the pictures he paints, and it is in moments like this that his Appalachian, working-class storytelling truly comes to the fore.
Anymore becomes more sombre, with guitar lines almost falling over each other as the raw passion and emotion pours through the track. Almost on the edge of defeat, he talks of making the same mistakes again and again. Like a lot of his tales, this will resonate with many people as he searches for that elusive thing he can’t quite define or reach, but which makes the situation impossible to continue. The heavy strums of the guitar come and go as the feelings in the lyrics strengthen, almost as if he is making up his mind in real time, pulling back with moments of regret and uncertainty. There is tenderness in the melody and a growing sense of bittersweet victory in the act of leaving, no matter how pyrrhic it may be.
After the emotional heaviness of the last few songs, Old State Pen is a refreshing change of pace. It returns to the conversational tone of earlier tracks, imagining folks trading stories of incarceration in the titular corrections facility. Here, he conjures the image of inmates sat around, sharing a jug of moonshine, and guessing why they ended up in that situation just to pass the time. Mixed with gallows humour and a sense of time passing them by, the song is an exercise in making the best of what life has thrown at you.
Long Goodbye picks up the pace with a swing and a drive that makes this ode to days gone by a fun jig. Following this, the slower ballad of Madison And Main focuses once more on the guitar techniques that complement his laid-back vocal style. His Midwest accent is gravelly and earnest, while the repeated, resonant exclamation points at the end of the verse lines add weight to the sentiment.
The final track, Belongs To Time, signs off with a hopeful feeling and a more upbeat strumming pattern. The lyrics arrive almost scattershot, like he is talking in asides to himself and the person in the tale. The insect’s pulse in the background, and you can almost feel the summer vibes in the air.
This release continues the high bar of quality Emery has set for the series and introduces yet another talented, passionate singer to a wider audience, done in a unique way that makes each instalment so enriching and captivating.
Label: Anti-Corp Music
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
