08/08/06 - Album Review: Kasey Chambers - Carnival

By Tim Holland

Country's multi-ARIA award winning crossover queen Kasey Chambers' fourth studio album is an absolute triumph. Titled Carnival, it's an album that will unquestionably return her to the top of the country and mainstream charts.

She's backed up by a stellar line up of musicians including Midnight Oil's Jim Monginie and John Butler Trio's Michael Barker.

The most impressive aspect of this album is it's diversity. There's something for everyone. Kasey's country fans will appreciate tracks such as The Rain, Nothing At All (already a TMN Country Hot 30 and CMC #1) and SIgn On The Door.

However, she goes to a very new extreme with Surrender - a track with a real disco-pop feel. She also shows her soulful side in Light Up The Candle.

The album features probably the edgiest song Chambers has ever recorded - a track with a real rockabilly feel called I Got You Now. This track also features You Am I lead vocalist Tim Rogers. This one is my personal favourite from the album.

The album also features a collaboration with Bernard Fanning in a track called The Hard Road. I'd expect that Fanning will return to the country airplay charts with this one. The pair prove to be a quite a combination in this very beautiful song.

The Carnival demonstrates how far Kasey has come since her first album, The Captain to now. She has grown and evolved. Despite the diversity of the music, the album still manages to sound very much like a quintessential Kasey Chambers album. That in itself is remarkable achievement and an achievement set to ensure that this album once again goes many many times Platinum.

Carnival from Kasey Chambers is on sale from August 19.

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