Artist Bio
You can say what you will about todays country, however, there's no denying that Chris Hoff is making his stand with a unique modern sound that is as classic and hard edged as all your favorite heroes. Chris was born and raised in the rural and vast wide open spaces of Western Nebraska. As a young boy he spent most of his time on the family farm. Music was a part of his early life as well, joining band and choir in the 6th grade. He stuck with it throughout his senior year. He would come to miss music in his early adult life which would lead to him buying his first guitar and learning how to write and sing his own songs. Working on honing his songs and sound for nearly 10 years, it was time for him to make his move toward a career in music. In August 2017, he moved his wife and daughter to central Texas. Almost immediately, he came through the door swinging by starting work on his EP titled It Doesn't Matter. Stay tuned for more to come from this talented artist.
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It Doesn't Matter
This new release will reach out, grab you and drag you back in time to an era of music that to some may be long gone. However, It also has a subtle taste of modernness that captures your attention and leaves you begging for more.
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Reviews
"Great artist. Great songs. Great players. Makes it really easy to make a great recording. The arrangement of the classic Springsteen song, "I'm On Fire" holy s#!t!
Like making' a fine gumbo. Get the makin's all together, get it to boilin', then turn the fire down real low, let it simmer... when ya know it's just right ya serve it up!​
Sometimes it all comes together. This is one of those times."
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Merel Bregante
Cribworks Digital Audio.
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"Chris Hoff is the Real Deal! The Genuine Article. Do yourself a favor and give him a listen, your ears will thank you!"
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Jerry Tubb
Terra Nova Digital Audio
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About The Album
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The Musicians
Acoustic Guitar & All Vocals: Chris Hoff
Electric Guitar: Michael Dorrien
Bass Guitar: Mark Epstein
Pedal Steel Guitar: Dave Pearlman
Fiddle & Mandolin: Cody Braun
Drums: Merel Bregante
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Production & Mastering
It Doesn't Matter was recorded and produced by
Cribworks Digital Audio studios.
Liberty Hill, TX
​​Engineering/Production: Merel Bregante
Additional Engineering: Sarah Pierce
cribworksdigitalaudio.com
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Mastered by Terra Nova Digital Audio
Austin, TX
​​Mastering Engineer: Jerry Tubb
terranovamastering.com
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The Songs
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Don't Hate Me
This song is about just what it says, "Don't Hate Me". Have you ever went somewhere and walk in and everyone stares you down because your not a local? Or just had random people treat you like dirt, just because you're really good at being yourself?
"I really wanted to reach out to all crowds with this song, you know? Everyone has been in the position of being disliked for no apparent reason. Like when someone will go completely out of their way just to start shit with you. This song is about just that... If everyone could take a chunk out of this song and practice it or live it, the world would be a better place."
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Down
This song is more about the gritty groove that it musically portrays. The lyrics are simple yet bring home the feel of what this song is about.
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"I wasn't sure where this song would end up... it all started out with the guitar lick/groove you hear throughout the song. And I guess it had a kind of dark feel to it... that's where the lyrics came to me. "When the sung goes down, everybody knows..." The rest of it just fell into place. The dark side of the world and its people come out when the sun goes down, so you best get home."
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Free
This song has the ability to pull on your ol' heart strings, drag 'em down through mud and dirt, n' stomp on 'em like a used cigarette butt. However you look at it, it's a cleverly written take on a bad break up or loss of a loved one.
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"The title of this EP, It Doesn't Matter, was actually pulled from the lyrics of this song. Merel Bregante had made the suggestion to me towards the end of the project... and it stuck! It was an awesome idea!"
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"I guess I was trying to take listeners on an emotional rollercoaster ride with this song. We've all been in a situation where we lose someone we hold dear to our heart.. this song brings out the brighter side of a bad situation by saying "it doesn't matter" and "I'm free to live" and so on... then it drags you back down by saying "I can never be free without you here by me". Let's face it... love can be hard, confusing, frustrating, and downright nasty. Love is also all the butterflies, flowers, and passion, as well. However, when the final goodbye comes... that's the one that damn near kills you."
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Complicated Feelings
This song has a happy, cheerful, musical sound to it. However, the lyrics are genuinely dark and as the title claims, it leaves you with complicated feelings... which we've all had at one time or another.
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"Complicated Feelings... where do I start?!?! (laughs) One could say I really just didn't know what I was writing until I was done writing... or maybe I just couldn't quite control the pen that was in my hand... or maybe I just felt like trying to make sense out of something that doesn't make sense and let it make no sense, to make sense? And that's where complicated feelings comes in."
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I'm On Fire
Although this song isn't a Chris Hoff original, it's tastefully done in a way that is completely unique and original to his style. It could literally go toe to toe in a knock down drag out fight with Springsteen's version. It's that good!
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"With I'm On Fire, I wanted to recreate the song to fit my style of music. I know I'm not the first person to cover it... but I wanted to create something that I could be proud of. Something that made a statement that says "Here I am, here's what you get." I wanted people to love this song just as much as they love the original by The Boss. I think my version kicks ass!"
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