Review: Chaparelle’s "Western Pleasure" is a playful, horny, heartbroken debut, fueled by the duo's intoxicating retro charm.

Chaparelle is the new country music project fronted by pop musician Zella Day and neo-folk musician Jesse Woods. The two met several years ago through mutual friends, and their songwriting partnership soon blossomed into romance. Chaparelle is the pair’s first lovechild, an amalgamation of both artists’ appreciation for classic country music. Now the band’s debut record, the aptly named Western Pleasure, is here. 

But don’t be mistaken. This isn’t some kitschy recreation of 60s country goodness. Western Pleasure knows its source material, showing deep reverence for the genre’s time-honored heroes like Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette and George Jones. The result is something that sounds like it comes from another era, shined up in slick, new-age style. While listening, you can’t help but feel like you’ve heard it somewhere before but can’t quite put your finger on it. 

Photo: Mary Beth Bryan

Okay, maybe there is a little bit of kitsch, but there’s nothing wrong with that. A mischievous character study emerges in “Inside the Lines.” The deliciously disobedient opening track, “Devil’s Music,” is a faux-religiously-concerned ode to song. “Heart Broke Holiday” begs to know, “Do you ever drink of me?” for God’s sake. But this healthy dose of overtly retro charm is rooted by clever lyricism and tight musicianship with all the right instrumental accoutrements. 

In fact, one of the things to appreciate most about Western Pleasure is its breadth, especially since it belongs to such an oft-shoehorned genre. It moves seamlessly between playfulness, heartbreak and pure sexuality, keeping you on your toes as every track melts into the next. One such surprise comes in the form of “Baby Jesus,” which you wouldn’t guess provides such an endless supply of swagger and seduction. The more unabashedly titled “Love is Hot” is an equally alluring track, with Day singing sweetly over a lonesome acoustic strum, drawing out a whispered “hoooot” in the chorus line. From songs like these to carrying-on, tongue-in-cheek cuts like “Playing Diamonds, Cashing Checks” to the saccharine drip of lead single “Bleeding Hearts,” Day and Woods have fully embraced the genre’s curves and angles. There’s a fine balance between jaunt and languid sweat on this record, and it all feels just right.

Chaparelle’s live performances of these songs are worth noting, too. The band has toured pretty extensively pre- and post-release, with an exciting stir of energy left in their wake after each show. Zella Day and Jesse Woods have an intoxicating presence and a palpable chemistry, which is a big part of what makes the music work. It’s like watching a true-blue country music mythology take form right before your eyes. Not to mention Day in particular is a vocal powerhouse, soaring easily, yet achingly toward the record’s belts and cries. It’s satisfying to see musicians as talented as they are stretching into new territory and flexing their creative muscles when they could easily stick to one lane. 

Photos: Sam Kapoor