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February 2002's Best New CDs

© Chad Bowar

Welcome to the February 2002 CD reviews. The great thing about pop music is that it's such an inclusive genre, and you'll hear everything from alternative to dance to metal to electronica. Each month we listen to dozens of new releases, select what we believe are the best, and feature them here. You'll recognize some of the artists in this month's review, but there will also be several talented independent and up and coming artists you'll be hearing about for the first time. It's all about the quality of the music, and the CD's below are some of this month's best new releases.

Kasey Chambers - Barricades & Brickwalls

Australian alt-country singer Kasey Chambers' sophomore CD is even better than her debut, which made the year-end Top 10 list on this site in 2000. Her voice is twangy, yet soulful. The songs are powerful and moving, and Chambers runs the emotional gamut from vulnerable to ass-kicking. She covers "Still Feelin' Blue", a song from one of her influences, Gram Parsons. There are also some guest stars on this CD, including fellow folkster Lucinda Williams. From old-fashioned honky-tonk to folk to country, and even a little pop, Barricades & Brickwalls delivers the goods, both musically and lyrically.

Web Link: http://www.kaseychambers.com

The Church - After Everything Now This

They've only had one radio hit in the U.S., 1988's "Under the Milky Way", but the Australian band The Church has been making great music for over 20 years. They continue the streak with After Everything Now This, which is their best effort in many years. They took their time with this CD, and the results are spectacular. It took 3 years to record, and was produced by the band. Steve Kilbey's laid-back baritone voice and the band's shimmering neo-psychedelic music sound as relevant today as they did in their glory days of the 80s. The songs are richly textured, with layers of melody and harmony that you appreciate more with each listen.

Web Link: http://www.thechurchband.com/

Citizen Cope - Citizen Cope

Citizen Cope is Clarence Greenwood, former DJ for the art-rap group Basehead. His self-titled debut is an innovative combination of pop, trip-hop, lounge, reggae, and soul. You can hear elements of artists like Beck, Everlast, and Uncle Kracker in his music and style, but Citizen Cope pushes the envelope much further, incorporating everything from gospel to funk in his songs. Citizen Cope's combination of musical originality, intelligent subject matter, and catchy hooks and samples makes for an outstanding debut CD.