Home
Backbone
Backbone in Bloomington, MN
Current price: $15.99
Loading Inventory...
Size: CD
It's been nearly a quarter-century since
Kasey Chambers
burst out of the gate with her first solo album,
The Captain
, and she's risen from a scrappy upstart to one of Australia's most respected artists. The best part is she's managed to do this without audible compromise or dulling her edge;
Chambers
has always sounded bold, fearless, and unconcerned with what others may think of her, and that hasn't changed a bit on 2024's
Backbone
, her first album in six years. She may sound a bit more content on these songs than she did in her younger years, which can probably be chalked up to the wisdom of experience. You can hear it in the adventures of "Silverado Girl," the tarnished wisdom of "Arlo," and the unexpected sweetness of "The Divorce Song," a duet with her former husband,
Shane Nicholson
, that may be the warmest expression of friendship between two former spouses that's ever been set to music, acknowledging mistakes on both sides and celebrating the good and the bad. (She also duets with
Ondara
on "My Kingdom Come," and the deliberate grace of their harmonies is stunning.) But she's as capable as ever of cutting a stark acoustic ballad like "Dart n Feather," wishing for a romance like a good rock & roll song in "A Love Like Springsteen," and cutting a sly, sexy, and slinky number like "Little Red Riding Hood," where she sounds like more than a match for any suitor.
is among the most consistently satisfying songwriters to emerge from the roots music scene in the antipodes, and the stylish twang of her vocals has only gained strength with the passage of time; every track is strong enough to live up to her lofty standards, and
' production serves the songs with just the right amount of soulful bite. (The album also includes the 2023 live single of her arrangement of
Eminem
's "Lose Yourself," and she manages the remarkable feat of taking that song and making it powerfully her own.) The difference between good and great singer/songwriters is that the former can make a few outstanding albums and then coast by with work that reminds us of the thrill of their salad days, while the latter can keep on releasing work that lives up to their legend and shows they're still willing to work hard at their craft.
is a great singer/songwriter, and
is just one of the albums that attests to it. ~ Mark Deming
Kasey Chambers
burst out of the gate with her first solo album,
The Captain
, and she's risen from a scrappy upstart to one of Australia's most respected artists. The best part is she's managed to do this without audible compromise or dulling her edge;
Chambers
has always sounded bold, fearless, and unconcerned with what others may think of her, and that hasn't changed a bit on 2024's
Backbone
, her first album in six years. She may sound a bit more content on these songs than she did in her younger years, which can probably be chalked up to the wisdom of experience. You can hear it in the adventures of "Silverado Girl," the tarnished wisdom of "Arlo," and the unexpected sweetness of "The Divorce Song," a duet with her former husband,
Shane Nicholson
, that may be the warmest expression of friendship between two former spouses that's ever been set to music, acknowledging mistakes on both sides and celebrating the good and the bad. (She also duets with
Ondara
on "My Kingdom Come," and the deliberate grace of their harmonies is stunning.) But she's as capable as ever of cutting a stark acoustic ballad like "Dart n Feather," wishing for a romance like a good rock & roll song in "A Love Like Springsteen," and cutting a sly, sexy, and slinky number like "Little Red Riding Hood," where she sounds like more than a match for any suitor.
is among the most consistently satisfying songwriters to emerge from the roots music scene in the antipodes, and the stylish twang of her vocals has only gained strength with the passage of time; every track is strong enough to live up to her lofty standards, and
' production serves the songs with just the right amount of soulful bite. (The album also includes the 2023 live single of her arrangement of
Eminem
's "Lose Yourself," and she manages the remarkable feat of taking that song and making it powerfully her own.) The difference between good and great singer/songwriters is that the former can make a few outstanding albums and then coast by with work that reminds us of the thrill of their salad days, while the latter can keep on releasing work that lives up to their legend and shows they're still willing to work hard at their craft.
is a great singer/songwriter, and
is just one of the albums that attests to it. ~ Mark Deming
Shop Similar Products
