Australian treasure Kasey Chambers had the proverbial golden road laid in front of her in 1999, as her debut The Captain caught fire in her native land as well as in the United States. Thanks to her effortless, urgent blend of country, rock and folk, Chambers was rapidly saddled with the "Next Lucinda Williams" tag.
The next few albums would give the world more of what it wanted as Chambers became an automatic chart-topper Down Under. But, judging by what came after, it's clear that Chambers was ready for an excursion off of the well-traveled road.
In 2008, Chambers, along with husband Shane Nicholson, delivered one of the great roots albums in recent years. Rattlin' Bones stands as a clear-course vision that's loving, heart-breaking and intimately familial. Shedding the insurgent country skin of her past, and touring the U.S. less than she did in her younger days, Chambers made it clear on this record that her role as mother and wife was of greater import than fulfilling American's need for another country-rock darling.
Of course, Chambers still knows how to plug in her guitar. And now she's back in the States, touring again. So maybe she still has some fight left in her yet. Her upcoming release, Little Bird, is already earning raves as Chambers sets sail for an all-too-short tour of the great 48.
