An Interview with Chasen Wayne

A new album release from Chasen Wayne manages to deliver such a lush and robust country soundscape that blends elements of vintage and classic country with a refreshing approach, and in doing so, he also gives such memorable vocals and performances throughout the entire record that you can't turn away.

There are many songs on the CORPUS record that have a way of wrapping themselves around you and keeping you right where they want to. They deliver impactful and memorable choruses left and right, along with lyrics that can be so detailed that they paint pictures in your head vividly as the songs unfold.

These are true callings for genuine country music, and Chasen nails the entire aesthetic and does it with a charm to boot.

Right from the first track, "Honeymoon", you start to get a feel for the artist's personality, character, and charisma, which he's got plenty of, and this is a great track to use as an introduction to the album because it does showcase some of the best staples Chasen offers throughout the LP itself.

Having said that, this is the kind of album you listen to all the way through, from beginning to end. Listening to one or two tracks may give you an idea of what you might expect, but it will not give you the full spectrum of what the album as a whole has to offer.

There are some surprises around the corners, loads of that vintage tonality and songwriting in terms of delivering massive country output, and it's got heart.

The record is riddled with gorgeous instrumentation from violins to lap steel, along with wonderfully toned guitars that can either feel colorful or vast, depending on the song.

Some of these tracks have instrumentation that is drenched in reverb effect, giving that distant feel and letting things come through in an almost cinematic sense.

You can tell that there are definitely subtracts here with emotional backbone attached to them that came from very real places, and I think Chasen utilizes his songwriting as an outlet, which is part of why this record is so good and why it boasts so much personality and character.

Songs like "Riptide" give you some of that vast underbelly that feels almost like a dream, but even in the instrumentation, the performances deliver emotion. The violin and that lap steel coming together on a song like this one is beautiful, but can be intense at the same time.

You can hear a slew of classic country influences pumping throughout the veins of this record, and Chasen does an amazing job of sort of blending those together to create something that has its own atmosphere.

Believe me, this record has its own aesthetic, but it beckons that classic country approach so well that it can give you bouts of nostalgia at times.

Now, as this album unfolds and you start to get more of grasp on what it's all about, you start to realize that there are experimental sides to this. There are other influences at play, and the record starts to become incredibly fun.

"Santa Rita" incorporates a Spanish classical approach with country, and the blend of those two is incredibly well placed with a guitar performance that's just unbelievable.

Then you have "Sanora + Riptide (Reprise)", which hits a surf rock aesthetic, still holding on to that southern undertone and twang, still breeding that true country texture and tone, but it's leaning a different direction here, and it's brilliant.

So, the record starts with a classic country vibe but then quickly opens up to other directions, and you can hear and see how Chasen lets loose and has a lot of fun with his different influences.

This is a record with that Country tone, but is built with fewer boundaries than you may be used to.

This is part of what makes it more fun.

This was a gorgeous record through and through, with amazing instrumentation, huge and robust vocals, and songwriting that is borderline perfection.

Don't just take my word for it, listen to the record.

Once we heard it, we wanted to have a chat with Chasen just to find out where this all came from and what might be coming up next for him.

Here's what happened.

Buzz Slayers: Hey Chasen! Let's start with the CORPUS record! Where did this album come from? 

—— this album came from a time I was seperated from my wife and infant son after a long history of infidelity had been discovered. Mostly dating back to my days before sobriety from drugs and Alcohol. Really had to be left alone and take accountability for my actions and reflect on what I'd done and start looking into some pretty dark chapters of my life that lead me to such behavior. I got a really good therapist who specialized in addiction (sex, drugs, alcohol) and PTSD. When things seemed too bleak to work back with my family, and I had thoughts of giving up, I began to write. What started out as almost a diary in the first half began to turn into a cautionary tale in the second. About 80% of it is my life and the other 20% is my imagination - slightly moving things around so that I could process and convey what I wanted. 

Buzz Slayers: I'm hearing a few different styles to this record! Who are some of your biggest musical influences? 

——-Terry Allen, Billy Joe Shaver, Bill Evans (jazz pianist), Neil Young, Waylon Jennings, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath and a lot of Latin music from Mexico and Brazil. 

Buzz Slayers: How did this all start for you as an artist?

——— I’ve been playing since I was 13, but when I moved to Austin at 17 I was chasing the whole outlaw movement that started here. I worked downtown as a bouncer and had a hand in the big business of drugs. Then I  eventually found work digging tunnels for a plumbing company while bouncing at night. Just kept writing and scheming, and one day things just started clicking after 12 years. Got a band together, and people liked my songs, and the rest has just been a natural progression of things. All that work built a flame more and more, and it’s only growing now that I see some success and proof of concept in my music. 

Buzz Slayers: What are you performing on this record?

——— I sing and play acoustic guitar. I usually write the music first and meet up with Jamey Maness, our pedal steel player, and begin editing and refining the parts. Then I write the lyrics alone once I have a full composition to work with. 

Buzz Slayers: Are you performing live right now? Any touring in support of the release? 

———— Yes, we’ve been touring a lot in the north east - south east and the Midwest. New York, Chicago, Indiana, Nashville, New Orleans, Asheville are all common stops. We’re now hoping to hit the west coast in 2026. 

Buzz Slayers: Now that this is out, what's next for you?

———— We have a live record we recorded in New York at Skinny Dennis coming out on Halloween, so naturally we’ll spend a week up there promoting that, and we’re already working on our 4th studio album in hopes of it being out by summer of 2026. Leaning into the dusty West Texas vibe you hear on tracks like “Sonora” and alot more Mexican and psych influence as well. 

Buzz Slayers: Who's in your headphones right now?

———- Rattlesnake Milk, Fuerza Regida, Black Sabbath, Dick Dale, Hank Williams Sr., Terry Allen, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. 

Buzz Slayers: What would you tell people they can expect on this release?

———— I’d say, expect to be surprised. We’ve really developed 3 or 4 different soundscapes we like to build on, and get better at each release, but it always sounds like us. This is my favorite band I’ve ever played with and I hope we stay together a long time. 

Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?

———— Just gratitude. I’m very lucky in many ways. I’ve tried to get in my own way most of my life, but somehow I’ve managed to still see success and opportunity. So, I hope as folks learn about my story, it can be inspiring and - of course - I’m hoping I make something that is long lasting and impactful, maybe even life changing, in a positive way for myself and others

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