Independent

Release Date: May 19th 2023

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Chapel Hart– Glory Days (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

1. Glory Days
2. Fam Damily
3. Dear Tequila
4. American Pride
5. Home Is Where The Hart Is
6. Love In Letting Go
7. If You Ain’t Wearing Boots
8. This Girl Likes Fords
9. Perfect For Me
10. Redneck Fairytale
11. Welcome To Fist City

After the underwhelming album Memory Lane by Old Dominion that I didn’t really connect with and the so-so review that I wrote, it was time to get back to the grind of reviewing country music, as I was in the groove of another country album. ‘What to review?’, I thought. there are indeed so many artists out there, and with little to distinguish between the good and the not-so-good these days; how was I to know if I was seeking out another ‘lemon’? Thankfully, Glory Days by rising family-trio Chapel Hart isn’t that lemon at all. I first heard about Chapel Hart from Darius’ Rucker’s song “Ol’ Church Hymn” and then further back with the girls singing “You Can Have Him Jolene” on America’s Got Talent. I debated upon whether I wanted to investigate their roots and their heart and their discography further before listening to Glory Days. after all, I know literally nothing about sisters Danica Hart and Devynn Hart, and their cousin Trea Swindle. After all, I hadn’t listened to their first two albums at all. But… I decided to listen to this project first. The result, of me listening to Glory Days without not so much of any inkling as to what their values and morals of the trio are… well, the album had a chance to speak for itself, and I believe that it did. Glory Days is one of my favourite albums of 2023, and you all should listen to this country trio right away!

Opening the track list is the title track. It’s a feel-good, inspirational, powerful country/pop anthem about taking life by the reins and living life as best you can and also thanking God for the opportunities that come your way when He gives them to you. It’s a testimony type of track, if you will, and the fact that these girls have delivered the melody as the first track, reminds us that this is a theme that needs to be taken seriously. Being thankful and grateful for the glory days, but knowing that your own glory days are yet to come because God has a big plan for you and you just need to believe that and step into that; well that kind of uplifting song can change the whole trajectory of your life. I do not know much about Chapel Hart. But the title track is incredible, and does set the tone for the rest of the album- melodically, thematically and lyrically.

I don’t think things happen by coincidence. I think it’s all by design. And it’s like we’re here in our glory days, these are the days we prayed about. It was just a couple of years ago we said we’re going to keep riding and keep going. One day we’ll get to play the Opry, one day we’ll get to play the Ryman. And now we’ve played the Opry what, five or six times? And we’re still having pinch me moments!

Our grandmother had 17 kids and 108 grandkids, and everybody sang. There was a children’s choir with maybe 40 or 50 kids or so, but every family get-together, gathering, birthday party, funeral, divorce, you name it, music was going to happen at some point. That was just a part of life and we never saw it being an actual career back then, especially in small-town Mississippi. Country was like the one genre outside of church music we could listen to and relate to, and people would play everywhere. If you were in the grocery store, on the bus, or at work, it was country music all the time.

The rest of the album reminds us of the big things and the little things in life that we can celebrate God for, as we cherish the special moments in our lives that make us who we are. “Fam Damily” is a fun, breezy, and honouring melody that celebrates the girls’ large family, and the close-knit bond they have with everyone within the extended group which is strengthened through country music and gospel music in particular; while the sassy and playful melody “Dear Tequila” is a ‘letter’ to the alcohol ‘tequila’ as the girls address the drink that they’ve made some bad decisions many times because of it. Somewhat patriotic song “American Pride” is the trio’s attempt to unify the world in the face of incredible division and unnecessary division in fact, as the girls outline that it’s their American pride at a sports game with others that should unite the country- similar in theme to “America Again” by Carman or “Waiting On The World To Change” by John Mayer, or even “Do What You Can” by Bon Jovi. There have been so many ‘American’ songs, some which stick and some that don’t; but Chapel Hart’s song lands in the former category, and though there is division between being Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine or god forbid, somewhere in the middle, “American Pride” reminds us that there’s emotions in everyone and there’s nuance in everyone, and if you’re willing to have a conversation and listen to someone from the other side and have a civilised dialogue about various issues, then the world will undoubtedly be a better place.

“Home Is Where The Hart Is”, similar in theme to “Fam Damily”, speaks more about the trio’s family life and the bonds they have with their extended family and friends; while the first ‘true’ ballad comes in “Love In Letting Go”. It’s a vulnerable prayer to God asking Him to help the girls through their personal issues, as well as their faith or possibly lack of, in Jesus; and with the song comprising a few name drops of popular hymns, this melody renews my faith in God as we ask Him to remind us that letting go of past hurts and grudges is the only way to live free and satisfied and fulfilled. “If You Ain’t Wearing Boots”, a more vivid depiction of the girls’ lifestyle in the country, reminds us that there’s more than one way to live in this earth (as in city v country), as long as you put your family and friends and God above all; while the somewhat nonsensical “This Girl Likes Fords” is a comedy-type melody where the girls outline that they love Fords and that prospective partners would just have to cop it and take it on the chin- it’s a song in jest about the unrealistic expectations we may place on each other or on ourselves in the bid to find ‘The One’, and so, how about we surrender our potential partner to God and let Him do the rest?

“Perfect For Me” speaks about a more realistic partner, as the girls relay to us that the perfect man for them isn’t perfect by any means- but ‘perfect for me’ in the sense that he is the one God has set apart for them to be in relationship with. Penultimate track “Redneck Fairytale” speaks about each of the girls’ visions and dreams for the perfect life with a man; while Glory Days ends with a bang- with “Welcome To Fist City”, the response to Loretta Lynn’s “Fist City”.

After dinner he’d [my dad] put me in the car, and he’d turn on Kenny Rogers and we’d sing “Lady” as a duet, or we’d sing “Sold” (the auction song by John Michael Montgomery) and see who could sing it the fastest. It was really in those moments I fell in love with country music. Hearing Kenny Rogers sing “Lady” and hearing the yearning in his voice.

I sometimes say if we had better sense, we’d have probably started in Nashville, but somehow we started in New Orleans. They were like, ‘we don’t like country music down here,’ so we ended up playing party music. But it kind of goes back to everything being by design because we needed so badly to start in New Orleans. They’re the most wonderful and most honest folks you’re going to come across in your life.

Finally, we were like, we’ve just got to go to where they’re writing this music. Either we can fit in and be actual become country music songwriters, or we can show up, suck, and know we need to pack up our bags and go home. So, coming to Nashville was our proving point.

You know, sometimes I feel like we have to stop and figure out how to dream bigger. Because all of a sudden everything we dreamed about has started happening. In the last nine months it’s been like bam, bam, bam, back-to-back-to-back. Even things we never would have imagined have happened. Like who would have thought we’d become friends with THE Vince Gill? Why is he friends with us?

That’s the people we’re writing for, that’s the people we’re sharing our experiences with. Because as we say during our Glory Days shows, you’re gonna have ups and you’re gonna have downs, and our fans are riding into it.

I think I’m truly a sucker for rags to riches stories. And from this above interview, Chapel Hart and their rise to fame while still being grounded in their faith and their bond as family members, is truly a rags to riches story. It’s a success story and though Glory Days is their third album, it’s probably the first that would probably blow up since their stint on America’s Got Talent. Sky is the limit for Danica Devynn and Trea. Whatever the case may be, this album reminds us that good music comes from anywhere and we shouldn’t let our prejudices blind us from some inspiring and encouraging music. And so, let us pray that Chapel Hart stays grounded. So many bands have started and then failed. Hopefully this trio isn’t one of them- simply because Glory Days is amazing in every sense of the word.

3 songs to listen to: Glory Days, American Pride, Love In Letting Go

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: Jimmie Allen, Megan Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith, Priscilla Block, Erin Kinsey, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton