Tucker Riggleman & The Cheap Dates | Interview | New Album, ‘Restless Spirit’
Tucker Riggleman & The Cheap Dates are back with their second full-length record, ‘Restless Spirit,’ out on WarHen Records.
When the greater world shuts down, how do you keep your own personal world running? That question obviously has as many answers as there are people, but for one Tucker Riggleman, he was already in the process of rebooting. In early 2020, Tucker found himself in the middle of the great forests of West Virginia retreating and healing from the greater world with the best excuse for a fresh start one could possibly have, so he got to work on songs that reflected his life, warts and all, at that point. Time outside the forest ground to a halt while Tucker whittled away at songs that had no known release date. Once those were all said and done – what would become 2021’s ‘Alive and Dying Fast’ – the outside remained motionless, so the personal world had to keep humming along. This time, with even more time away and the honest work of sobriety, Tucker finished what would end up becoming a second album’s worth of material, just in time for the debut full length to be released to a world starving for its honest and captivating tales. With reassurance to fans new and old, the newest material is as good – if not even better – than the old on Tucker Riggleman and the Cheap Dates’s second full length release, ‘Restless Spirit’.
From the gate, listeners will be met with a winning formula for Tucker and his Cheap Dates, who cross alt-Americana with gothic tinges before twisting into a twangy turnover of blues and slacker rock. Track 1 ‘Educated’ starts things off nice and breezy instrumentally to round out the darker edges of Tucker’s poetry about growth and change from childhood to here and now. Dynamic playing from the band here and throughout the record highlight both Tucker’s songwriting skills and each individual band member’s tactfulness and talent in bringing their own voices together for a powerful union. Heartland rock a la Tom Petty rings true on Track 4 ‘Shotgun,’ which has my personal favorite lines on the record:
“There’s a shotgun in my head
Aimed right behind my eyes
And it means to kill me dead”
Tucker and company are gifted at crossing sonorous melodies with dour expressions, reeling in those who can relate to the duality of modern living – the juxtaposition of lighter and heavier moods into our collective struggles. As a musician myself, Track 7’s title ‘Telecaster’ stood out to me immediately, mainly because I often wonder how much more people can squeeze out of one of the most popular and long-lasting electric guitars of all time. Turns out, it remains a bottomless wellspring of inspiration and the ever-ready, always-steady tool of choice for any hard-working DIY musician; thus, it is perfectly apt to headline a tune about the struggles of touring as someone not born or foisted into millions and manufactured success. As soothing and cathartic as the record begins, the final track ‘Silver Tongue’ brings it on home with more personal reflections and big swells of fuzz guitar, signing a self-portrait of humility, passion, and maturity.
Now that the world has begun spinning again for better or worse, you can possibly catch these songs and more live as Tucker Riggleman & The Cheap Dates prepare for a regional tour throughout West Virginia and its bordering states. Details and tickets for these shows and any others to come can be found here. While the first record may have been well-received even without a tour, this ambitious follow-up feels like the group’s real first record in a way now that folks can experience its magic live and in-person. Enjoy the album through your preferred streaming service and look forward to more to come as this well-oiled and frenetic machine keeps on keepin’ on.
“Restless Spirit is my time capsule for this period of my life”
The struggles of the road are well-documented for many bands of all levels of success out there. What are your personal road struggles and how do you keep them in check while putting in everything you have day and night?
I tend to get a little stressed if things happen outside of our control, like traffic or something that might interfere with us being 100% in the best shape possible to perform. Nothing major. I get hyper-focused after being out for a couple of days. I guess it’s a kind of survival mode. For longer runs, I think self-care is paramount. It is crucial to keep a well-stocked bag with some comforts of home. Personally, that includes books, handheld gaming system, notebooks, headphones, etc. – CBD gummies are also a secret weapon of mine. It’s also important to make time to talk to the people you love outside of your bandmates. Call your partner, text your sister, send your mom a funny meme.
How did the isolation of the pandemic influence your songwriting, and how does it compare to the following sobriety? (Congrats on that! Not an easy thing to do and maintain.)
For me they almost go hand-in-hand. I was freshly sober when the pandemic hit – maybe 6 months or so without drinking. I was also already isolated due to my living arrangements off the grid in the Monongahela National Forest. That’s the main reason I returned to West Virginia. I knew I couldn’t get sober while living in a college town and working in bars.
‘Restless Spirit’ is my time capsule for this period of my life. I was heavily influenced by my surroundings: the creek, the woods, the wildlife. I think in our first album you can hear me kind of flirting with the idea that some big changes need to happen, and this time around I was unafraid to confront those topics head on. Songs like ‘Bucket and the Boot’ and ‘Paradise’ so openly confront addiction in a way I would have never attempted in the past.
The pandemic’s threat to live music was also not missed on me. Our song ‘Telecaster’ is my attempt to put those feelings of unrest to paper. I might never want to play 300 shows in a row, but a world without live music is pretty lonely as well. That is something I’ve really tried to cherish since shows started up again – being a spectator, existing in a room with rock and roll again. It feels good.
Thanks for the kind words – I’m closing in on 5 years now. I hope that the themes present on the album are relatable for anyone navigating the darkness (or who have navigated it in the past), however that might look to you. I don’t want anything to come across as preachy. Just know that you’re not alone, and it’s never too late to find yourself again.
Working with Duane Lundy again must help bring forth your talents even more than they’re already evident. What is it about working with Duane that brought you all back?
Duane is a pal, and an excellent producer. He really pushed me to spend more time in the studio for this album. So instead of doing everything in 2 days, we did it in 3 and a half, ha. Duane really knows how to get the most out of a song and a performance. It was also his idea to bring in Lee Carroll for the organ/keys work, which I think adds such an incredible layer to the album.
I think we felt like we had unfinished business after our debut, ‘Alive and Dying Fast’. That record came out and it was quite a while before we could play shows to support it. We’re still very proud of that record, but I think we knew that if we could release something under more normal circumstances that maybe we could get the songs out there a bit more. It felt natural to make an album with Duane again to kind of finish what we started. The gap between those records was super transformative for me, and I hope that growth shows in the songs on ‘Restless Spirit’.
Upcoming shows:
3/22 – The Snack Institute – Charleston, WV
3/23 – The Green Lantern – Lexington, KY
3/24 – Cobra – Nashville, TN
4/4 – The Purple Fiddle – Thomas, WV
4/5 – Waterfront Hall – Wheeling, WV
4/6 – 123 Pleasant St. – Morgantown, WV
4/11 – The Government Center – Pittsburgh, PA
4/12 – Opera House – Shepherdstown, WV
4/13 – Olde Mother Brewing – Frederick, MD
4/14 – The Golden Pony – Harrisonburg, VA
Headline photo: Corbin Lanker
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