If
her first solo album 'The Captain' was the sound of Kasey Chambers
shaking off her country chains to enter a brave new world at the
same time as going through some personal emotional trauma, the new
album is the sound of the newly invented Kasey saying to her old
love (country music), "I know I've changed, but I still love you".
The opening title track of Kasey's album straight away places us
between the two worlds she has entered, her voice as country as
could be, full of twang, making way for stark lashings of electric
rock guitar from Dave Steel. Dave is added to a number of tracks,
alongside Kasey's regular musicians. Paul Kelly adds his voice to
'I Still Pray', soulmate Lucinda Williams joins the backing vocals
for 'On A Bad Day', expressions of where Kasey finds herself, reaching
out of country in Australia, into country (albeit the 'new country')
in America. If traditional country folk ever wondered whether she'd
deserted, the Hank Williams-inspired 'A Little Bit Lonesome', more
country than anything on 'The Captain', will make them more than
happy. Rock fans will find her strutting her stuff with Living End
on 'Crossfire', more rocky than anything on 'The Captain'. The new
album came to life as the solo Kasey was travelling the world being
lauded as the 'next big thing'. The songs and sounds on the new
album are a reflection of Kasey's inner and outer journey, examining
herself both emotionally and musically, like a series of reality-checks.
Who am I now? Where do I sit now? The everchanging mood of the record
expresses the rollercoaster Kasey has been on. Straight after the
rollicking 'Crossfire' with Living End we hear Kasey completely
on her own, singing about love on 'Falling Into You'. This reflective,
thoughtful, confronting Kasey returns in "secret" unlisted track
at the end of the album finally to prick our conscience. "If you're
not pissed off with the world you're not paying attention". Importantly
Kasey remains strong throughout, her singing talent, her personality,
her feelings shining through no matter what musical filter she chooses.
'Barricades' isn't the breakthrough album that 'The Captain' was,
and shouldn't be. This is the sound of Kasey Chambers in the room
she's burst into, with the light shining brightly though the door
she broke down. It didn't slam behind her.
If
her first solo album 'The Captain' was the sound of Kasey Chambers
shaking off her country chains to enter a brave new world at the
same time as going through some personal emotional trauma, the new
album is the sound of the newly invented Kasey saying to her old
love (country music), "I know I've changed, but I still love you".
The opening title track of Kasey's album straight away places us
between the two worlds she has entered, her voice as country as
could be, full of twang, making way for stark lashings of electric
rock guitar from Dave Steel. Dave is added to a number of tracks,
alongside Kasey's regular musicians. Paul Kelly adds his voice to
'I Still Pray', soulmate Lucinda Williams joins the backing vocals
for 'On A Bad Day', expressions of where Kasey finds herself, reaching
out of country in Australia, into country (albeit the 'new country')
in America. If traditional country folk ever wondered whether she'd
deserted, the Hank Williams-inspired 'A Little Bit Lonesome', more
country than anything on 'The Captain', will make them more than
happy. Rock fans will find her strutting her stuff with Living End
on 'Crossfire', more rocky than anything on 'The Captain'. The new
album came to life as the solo Kasey was travelling the world being
lauded as the 'next big thing'. The songs and sounds on the new
album are a reflection of Kasey's inner and outer journey, examining
herself both emotionally and musically, like a series of reality-checks.
Who am I now? Where do I sit now? The everchanging mood of the record
expresses the rollercoaster Kasey has been on. Straight after the
rollicking 'Crossfire' with Living End we hear Kasey completely
on her own, singing about love on 'Falling Into You'. This reflective,
thoughtful, confronting Kasey returns in "secret" unlisted track
at the end of the album finally to prick our conscience. "If you're
not pissed off with the world you're not paying attention". Importantly
Kasey remains strong throughout, her singing talent, her personality,
her feelings shining through no matter what musical filter she chooses.
'Barricades' isn't the breakthrough album that 'The Captain' was,
and shouldn't be. This is the sound of Kasey Chambers in the room
she's burst into, with the light shining brightly though the door
she broke down. It didn't slam behind her.