MUSIC Chambers shows ability on latest disc

The singer has yet to gain a following in the United States.
By RAY HOGAN
STAMFORD ADVOCATE
Kasey Chambers is a major star at home in Australia. That her alt-country sound has gone so unnoticed in the States needs correction. "Wayward Angel," her third release for Warner Bros., could be the disc to do it. It might lack a stellar single, & agrave; la "The Captain" from her debut of the same name or "Not Pretty Enough" from 2002's "Barricades & amp; Brickwalls," but Chambers still exudes a charm that's hard to ignore.
Imagine a younger and more pretty-voiced, not to mention innocent-sounding, Lucinda Williams, and you've got an idea of where Chambers is coming from. She takes rootsy country, bluegrass and pop-inflected folk, and molds it all into an accessible package.
Songs vary
Her adaptability is clear on "Wayward Angel." There's the smoky blues groove of "Pony," some perfectly constructed pop in "Hollywood" ("This is not Hollywood/this is my life"), tender balladry in "Paper Aeroplane" and accessible bluegrass on "Bluebird." The disc's biggest flaws are that her band would benefit from sounding a bit less polished and that slow- to mid-tempo songs are over-represented. The barn-burning bluegrass cut "Follow You Home" would work better with more musical recklessness -- or at least a production that conveys as much.
America will eventually become enthralled with Chambers' voice, it's just a question of when.