Hype

Sun Herald

Sunday August 27, 2006

CRAIG MATHIESON

CARNIVAL

KASEY CHAMBERS (EMI) 7/10

Like the Dixie Chicks before her, Kasey Chambers has steadily broadened her musical base while retaining the country vernacular she was raised with. Her new set, as ever produced by brother Nash, takes in glowing country-rock (Sign On The Door), prairie blues (Light Up A Candle) and a tender duet with Powderfinger's Bernard Fanning (Hard Road). But what unites the album is a stern keenness to her performance and a sparser electric sound that matches her tone.CRAIG MATHIESON

GAME THEORY

THE ROOTS (Universal) 6/10

Once more flying the flag for alternative hip-hop, Philadelphia crew the Roots combine socially aware lyrics and the righteous beats generated by drummer Ahmir Thompson. Game Theory is edgy with paranoia, lyrics focusing on government conspiracies and the criminal milieu intermingle across raps backed by the furious energy of Here I Come and the atmospheric haze of In The Music. The mood is not always easy listening, but the Roots are rarely less than bracing. CM

BACK IN THE DOG HOUSE

BUGZ IN THE ATTIC (V2/Shock) 8/10

The long-awaited debut studio album from the acclaimed west London electronic collective kicks off with the infectious soul breaks of Move Aside and rarely relents from there on. The broken beats of No More give way to the funky retro breaks of Once Twice and the old school electro of Knocks Me Off My Feet, setting up an album characterised by infectious inventiveness. Pick up a copy now and get ready for the coming summer - Bugz could just be the soundtrack. CM

GANG OF LOSERS

THE DEARS (Speak n Spell) 7/10

All roads in alternative pop currently appear to lead to Canada, with Montreal combo the Dears taking up a denser, swelling sound in comparison to the frenetic contemporaries such as Broken Social Scene. Gang Of Losers is an update of British indie rock, with the sombre strains of Ballad Of Humankindness and Hate Then Love steadily growing in stature, while Ticket To Immortality adds some velocity to the social dissection summoned up by Murray Lightburn's lyrics. CM

© 2006 Sun Herald

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