Kasey Chambers hits country-folk highs in ‘Barricades’

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Editor’s Note: In Sound Advice, the first Saturday of every month, veteran NEWS entertainment writer Dale McGarrigle reviews new rock, pop, alternative, country, folk or blues albums. Different NEWS writers contribute reviews from other musical genres.

“Barricades & Brickwalls” (Warner Bros.) – Kasey Chambers

Welcome the new voice of alternative country.

Only 25, Kasey Chambers comes from that hotbed of country music – Australia. A superstar in her homeland, Chambers gained a cult following and critical acclaim in this country with her 2000 debut album “The Captain.” That effort also caught the attention of influential musicians in alt-country, especially Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle.

Most of “The Captain” was written during Chambers’ teen years. “Barricades & Brickwalls” reveals a more mature, self-assured songwriter. It’s rootsier and more country than her debut, and shows off her growth as an artist.

The album reflects Chambers’ musical touchstones, which include Williams (both Lucinda and Hank), Fred Eaglesmith and Gram Parsons. Guests on the release include Lucinda Williams, Matthew Ryan, Paul Kelly and even The Living End.

Although the songs on the album are radio-friendly lengths, “Barricades & Brickwalls” defies genres, which means it won’t get the airplay it deserves. It’s too country for Top 40, too folkie for country. Also, it’s packed with real emotion in place of the shallow angst and macho boasting of many of today’s radio hits. So many won’t “get” it.

Still quality will win out, and more will discover Chambers thanks to “Barricades & Brickwalls.” It’s a great promise of things to come from the thoughtful Aussie.

“Night on Earth” (Koch) – Rialto

There are certain things that you, Jo Punter, seldom get to see where the music industry is involved. I’m not talking about backstage debauchery or boardroom scheming by industry execs; I’m talking about the press release – the lazy journalist’s dream and frequently as – if not more – entertaining than the product it accompanies.

The unwary are hypnotized as the press release’s writer tangos with euphemisms and breathes lurid analogies into your ear, like a literary gigolo.

Take the photocopy that accompanies “Night on Earth,” Rialto’s second-and-a-half album. Let it gently remind you to watch out for how “cinematic” the music is. How “filmic.” Watch how it lures you in with its coy references to Scott Walker, Phil Spector, John Barry or Brian Wilson.

And then listen to the album.

One of the first things you notice is that “Night on Earth” does indeed nod to Walker and Spector. But more importantly than that – and here’s something the press release has surely accidentally missed – it sounds just like Duran Duran. And good Duran Duran at that – you know, “Planet Earth” stuff.

Rialto’s huge strength, and what makes this an album that has already been played more than most that arrive here unsolicited, is that it is deftly written, unself-consciously pretty, luxuriously overproduced (by guitarist-keyboardist Jonny Bull), ’80s-soaked pop music.

It’s been long enough now that we can slip on rose-colored Ray-Bans when we look back at the ’80s, forgive ourselves the horrors, and remember that Echo and the Bunnymen were great. As were New Order and many more.

These are the real references the press release should be shouting about. But if it won’t, I will.

OK, the ’80s will become the nouveau kitsch in about 12 minutes time, but for now, lets enjoy some (relatively) straight-faced mining of a forgotten seam of genius. – By Adam Corrigan

“When Pigs Fly” (Xemu) – Various artists

Subtitled “Songs You Never Thought You’d Hear,” this album features artists performing well-known songs well outside their regular genres.

Some of the matches aren’t a terrible stretch, such as Roy Clark adapting Louie Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” or Herman’s Hermits doing Billy Idol’s “White Wedding.” But most combinations go further afield, such as Ani DiFranco and Jackie Chan teaming up on the Nat King Cole classic “Unforgettable” or the Fixx’s version of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin.’ ”

Still executive producer Cevin Soling has done his homework, because most of the covers work well. Standouts include Don Ho’s take on Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey,” The Oak Ridge Boys’ version of Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” and Lesley Gore’s rendering of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

Despite the comic album title, the musicians involved take their assignments seriously, putting their own unique spins on golden oldies in a wide variety of styles. “When Pigs Fly” is an experiment with aurally pleasing results.

“Play With Your Head” (RPM Records) – Candy Butchers

“Loaded with pop gems” is a phrase which every record company has seemed to use this year to describe their underdog rock releases. Perhaps it’s an attempt to finally dethrone teen queens, boy bands and rap metal, the reigning royalty of the pop radio kingdom. It might be working, too. This past year saw the strange success of Gorillaz, the resurrection of Weezer, and even a hit from singer-songwriter Ryan Adams. So could there be another name to add to this list of up-and-coming top 40 acts? Perhaps.

“Play With Your Head,” the Candy Butchers’ sophomore release, is indeed one of the many “loaded” albums this year. Mike Viola, who essentially is the Candy Butchers, and his faithful guitar have created a textured body of smart pop songs with mixed results. Along the way, Viola also uses some light electro flourishes to round out the album’s sound.

From the playful track “My Monkey made a Man Out of Me” to the moon-eyed verses and dreamy guitar lines of “I Let Her Get Away,” Viola and company put forth a great effort. Unfortunately, great efforts don’t always make great albums.

Viola’s canvas of sounds – from guitar and pianos to strings and synth – while well-conceived, simply isn’t engaging. “Play With Your Head may not be the album to help reinvigorate pop-rock, but it’s nice to know that artists like the Candy Butchers are out there trying. – George Bragdon