Customer Reviews

Barricades & Brickwalls

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I loved Kasey Chambers THE CAPTAIN but after the recent disappointing effort by another fave, Shelby Lynne, it was with a bit of trepidation that I listened to BARRICADES & BRICKWALLS. I'm here to say that Kasey Chambers does not disappoint. Her sophomore effort is as stunning as THE CAPTAIN and with the grammy-winning Lucinda Williams and the grammy-nominated Buddy Miller backing her up, how could she go wrong? My favorite cut is A LITTLE BIT LONESOME which sould have been a perfect song for Patsy Cline. But it is all Kasey here. I was thrilled to see her add a Gram Parsons song to this album but other than that one cut, all songs were written or co-written by the talented Ms. Chambers. Ironically, this Aussie has been called a new voice in Americana music. Well, the US only wishes they could claim her. She is absolutely amazing and if I were to describe this CD, I would call it "Julie Miller does Lucinda Williams." Aussie or not, I highly recommend Kasey Chambers to those who are fans of Americana or alternative country music.

At the tender age of 20-something, Australia's Kasey Chambers is a certified triple-threat: a scary-good writer and performer, with a voice that angels would sell their souls for. Toiling away in the genre that some hack has christened "alt-country," Chambers' second release "Barricades & Brickwalls" raises the stakes quite a bit from her stellar debut, 1999's "The Captain," which was criminally shuffled aside in a year which saw record company-created automatons like Faith Hill and Shania Twain scaling ridiculous heights of popularity, propelled by a dangerous combination of (admittedly) good looks and fluffy pop ditties with nary a trace of twang or compassion. Chambers' songs of of defiance (the title song), self doubt ("Not Pretty Enough"), and despair ("A Little Bit Lonesome") all shine through with unflinching honesty, beauty, and grace, adjectives which haven't been used to describe country music much ever since Garth Brooks first poured himself into a pair of skin tight jeans and strapped on his Time-Life operator head set. Chambers is given stellar support on "Barricades & Brickwalls" by Lucinda Williams (to whom she is often compared, along with a young Emmylou Harris), Buddy Miller and countrymen Paul Kelly (another genius floundering in obscurity, at least in America) and The Living End (love 'em - think of a combination of early Clash and your choice of second generation rockabilly bands), but what will really haunt you and convince you she has captured lightning in a jar is that voice, alternating between tenderness, sorrow, and joy. Stunning...

Aussie twanger Kasey Chambers put out a fine debut in THE CAPTAIN. On this one, she occasionally allows more breathing room for the guitars and dances closer to the rock end of the country-rock equation. Her voice is still the same marvelous childlike instrument (think Julie Miller) but she ups the songwriting a tad this time out. There are more tunes that lodge themselves insistently than with the first effort.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The disc kicks off with the brassy title tune, a declaration of intent as Kasey snarls "Iron bars and big ole cars/Won't run me out of town/I'll be d**ned if you're not my man/Before the sun goes down." She follows that up with the meek "Not Pretty Enough" leaving you to wonder which one is the "real" Kasey. Perhaps it's both..you get another dose of melancholy in "On a Bad Day" (Chambers' pal and backer Lucinda Williams guests on harmony) but on weeper "Little Bit Lonesome" (Chambers channeling Hank Sr.?) and "If I Were You" Chambers again insists that if her lovers don't "get" her, it's their problem. ("I'm only half of what you see...") "Crossfire" is an edgy rocker with Kasey this time playing the runaround romeo ("If you don't hate me, you'll learn to/I thought I had it clear from the start/I don't have a heart...") Perhaps the strongest track is the visceral "Ignorance" (hidden after track 13), as Chambers recoils from the world's evils. ("If you're not pissed off at the world/Then you're just not paying attention")

LOWS:
No real clunkers this time out, though "Runaway Train" sounds like a knockoff of the title track. She didn't really bring anything new to the Gram Parsons cover either. ("Still Feeling Blue")

BOTTOM LINE:
If you like alt country or Julie Miller, this is highly recommended. If you love traditional country (Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Johnny Cash) and you're looking for something new that "sounds old", you'd be well advised to give this one a listen.

I bought this totally on a whim, which I never do. But thank goodness I did, because within 3 days of getting it, I must have listened to it 8 times. From the first time I heard the first song, it just had its hooks in me.

First off, Kasey Chambers has a great voice -- distinctive, expressive, and capable of huge emotional range. It's not like most of the voices you hear on the radio, in the best way I can think of. Her delivery of the last few lines of "A Little Bit Lonesome," for instance, makes me want to laugh. And how many people could measure up when singing with someone like Lucinda Williams, as Kasey Chambers does on "On a Bad Day"?

And then she's a great songwriter, in at least 4 different styles. "Barricades & Brickwalls" is pretty much rock, while "Nullarbor Song" is like a lullabye, "A Little Bit Lonesome" is old-style country, and so on. There is not a single song here that I dislike, and I pretty much love at least 12 of the 14 (there's an unnumbered final track after "I Still Pray," at least on the copy of this I have).

The last time a CD gave me anything like the same urge to run around telling everyone I talked to that they needed to go out and buy it RIGHT NOW, it was the "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack. This might just be better, and it's more impressive since it's a single artist rather than one or two great songs from several.

I have to say, although admiring the Dead Ringer Band from way back, I wasn't always a fan or Kasey Chamber's sugar and hot pepper vocals, though several sweet tunes can be found on her debut "The Captain" ("The Flower", "The Captain"), what was missing was some gutteral spice from this gal. After one listen to Barricades and Brickwalls - I found it, and was changed. The instrumentation is moody and pointed, the timing is perfect. Country for the young is suddenly hip. Classics are the suprising abrupt twists that can be found on many of the songs - telling a guy he can go to Hell or stick it up them always attracts a certain kind of listener who remains dedicated. Favourites include, "A Little Bit Lonesome", the stirring "Nullabor Song" and the current Australian release, "On a Bad Day". The hidden track, "Ignorance" also adds a dramatic finale to what is a great release. Perhaps much focused on the girls perspective of a breakup...but hey! If there's an audience.... Just another reason for Nashville to prick up their ears.

I have been hearing nothing but good things about Kasey Chambers and her second album "Barricades & Brickwalls" so naturally I was curious to hear this album for myself. Being a fan of non-traditional country artists like Lucinda Williams and Ryan Adams, I was more than willing to check out Kasey Chambers. If this was Shania Twain or Faith Hill I would have avoided them like the plague. I don't like polish, overproduced country music that could also be mistaken for pop music. I like that sense of authenticism and I definitely like that country twang I heard on "Barricades & Brickwalls".

Kasey Chambers' voice bears a striking resemblence to Alison Krauss a bit in my opinion. The songs are a stunning collection of country/rock songs that any person can relate to. I can hear the warmth and heartache throughout the songs. The title track I didn't really think was all that special. "Not Pretty Enough" is my standout track on this entire album. I can totally relate to that songs. There have been times when I don't feel pretty enough as does anyone else who has heard this song. "A Million Tears" is a gorgeous ballad. Title track aside, this entire album is excellent. It is definitely an early contender for best album of 2002 even if it was released in 2001.

I was a little reluctant i must admit, yeap! i know theres cowboys in Australia and i know theres a lot of simmilarityes between USA and the land downunder, i tought maybe she had that country spirit but she would have a Paula Cole/Tricia Yearwood hibrid style, but Casey performance is brilliant!!! and you can swear she was raised in Texas or Arkansas or Alabama, perhaps Tennesse , Miss Chambers sounds very American, very, very American old fashioned country, such as in 40s, 50s,60s and 80s (i consider her style skips the 70s i dont know if im wrong) "barricades and brickwalls" is an intense opening for this album, guitar sounds are really captivating and is the most dramatic track on this release, "not pretty enough" is a beautifull sad song, "crossfire" is my favorite track this song repressents the 80s influence and is the most "heavy" track the sound is so raw you feel you are inside a bar in the middle of a fight, "if i were you" is the most pop song in this effort, this album owns an amazing quality that you cant imagine untill you get it, Casey as you can realize for the cover have also certain sex appeal actually she have been voted and included into some men magazines countdowns FHM and Maxim for instance, so the whole combo worths, musical quality and beautifull presence.

HM

I purchased this disc about a week after I bought "The Captian" (Kasey's first album). I have listened to it about 7 times through, and the first thing that hit me was that it was not as easily likeable as the first disc, but I don't think this will be a bad thing. Often times, a song that you immediately like will grow tiresome after repeated playings. I think this is normally due to more basic songwriting and familiarity with the genre. This disc makes you work a bit more, because the songwriter has become more mature and the songs progressed with her. She dabbles in some more bluesy waters like her idol (who has a guest appearance on the disc) Lucinda Williams. She also takes a stab at a Texas Swing style number "A Little Bit Lonesome", and she pulls it off wonderfully. There is nothing that quite matches the power of "These Pines" off her first disc, or the humor of "We're all gonna die someday", but these songs will age better. I think after a few years, this is the disc that you will pull out and relish.

Being a humongous Kasey Chambers fan, I dropped down and paid that lofty Import price tag to get my hands on B & B. No complaints however, it was worth it, this new CD will soon be a Kasey Classic! However, I have to warn those reading that this CD is a grower and I wouldn't be scared away by the first spin in your CD player. A couple of tracks go way down home country while others seem rough when compared to her first album 'The Captain'. If you thought The Captain was great, you'll soon think the same of this album. If you've never listened to Kasey before, I'd recommend buying The Captain first, then buying B & B once you've gotten a taste of what Kasey has to offer.

Like many people I had never heard of Kasey Chambers before. The other day I was in a music store and her album was on the listening station so I gave it a try. From the get go I was definately impressed by her musical talents. Her voice is very raw and emotional, and its what country should be. However the album isn't just restricted to country, it consists of alternative country and traditional country, contemporary folk and bluesy rock. Kasey is like an open wound, all the pain, sorrow, guilt, heartbreak, all the emotions are just layed out there for the listener to well listen to and make what they want of it. There is true beauty in the lyrics, which can best be described as melancholy for the most part. Songs like "On A Bad Day", "A Million Tears", "Still Feeling Blue", "This Mountain", etc are so beautiful lyrically, but also very sad and melancholy at the same token. "Not Pretty Enough" is a highlight, a song that expresses what many people feel every day in and out. Other highlights here include "Barricades & Brickwalls", "If I Were You", "Falling Into You" and "A Little Bit of Lonesome", although truthfully there is no filler to be found, just excellent music from the beginning to the end. The album was produced by Nash Chambers. Give Kasey a try, you will be surprised, and entertained by her truly original and one a kind music.