Bill Chambers
Sleeping With the Blues
Reckless Records
By Scott Snidow
 2002 was a banner year for
Texas and Americana music, with many fine albums and acts appearing
on the scene. Oddly, though, one of my favorite entries into
this particular market was not released by a Texan, or for that
matter an American. Bill Chambers is a native of Australia. Yet
this geographic separation from things Americana certainly didn't
prevent him from releasing one of the best written Americana
albums of the past year, nor from being one of Americana music's
foremost ambassadors.
Sleeping With the Blues is one of those rare gems that
you seem to stumble upon when you least expect it. Though some
listeners may at first grapple with the gruffness of Chamber's
voice (I know I did), it is apparent immediately to anyone with
half a brain that he can certainly write a song. Thank God that
I still have that half a brain working, because I went back and
gave this album a real listen to, which revealed a depth of heart
and passion to not only his lyrics but to all aspects of his
music. Just like that, I was sold. The more I listened, the more
I liked what I heard, until at last I became convinced that the
whole package worked beautifully, the voice, the music and the
words.
Now I know that there are some readers out there who may want
to challenge me in classifying this as an Americana album and
question my reasoning. To many, "Americans" make Americana
albums. By and large, this may be. However, listen closely as
Chambers lulls you with a voice straight out of the best of southern
music tradition, with hints of smoke and whiskey hovering in
his words. Hear how the music, played with those instruments
traditional to American country music, weaves its spell, like
the songs of many who have gone before with names like Cash and
Williams and Rogers. Regard carefully the lyrics, replete with
stories of hard drink, hard work, and hard love that even contain
homage to Texas and George Jones. Now, if that ain't Americana,
then please tell me what is?
The one task that really proved to be a problem in writing
this review was trying to find lyrics to highlight. The whole
album is so tight, so uniformly well written, played and assembled
that I could easily have run my finger randomly over the track
list and quoted lyrics that were bound to impress the reader.
Heck, even the three cover tunes that Chambers included on this
album (Mary Gauthier's "I Drink," John Sebastian's
"Stories We Could Tell" and Fred Eaglesmith's "Big
Ass Garage Sale"), intertwine so perfectly with the original
creations that they become "his" songs as well. Therefore,
the lyrics that do appear here were chosen because they are the
ones that just struck me on some indefinable level.
"Dreaming 'Bout Texas" is the opening track and
tells the story of a man estranged from both the woman and the
land he loves:
The sounds of the night ring out like a Spanish guitar
And I'm back in her arms in those Texas cantinas and bars
Now the bright lights of Austin, they're something I wish I could
see
And I'm dreaming about Texas and wondering if she ever thinks
of me
"Devil's Bell" was the song that it seems I most
identified with from the get-go. I have included the first and
the last verse, as they seem to be the ones that speak loudest
to the music lover in me. Sometimes, it is the simplest lyric
that affects me in the most profound way.
The only masters I did was a course in rock n roll
With a foolish heart that fell for souls who rang the devil's
bell
George Jones feels every pain you ever felt
And he ain't going to hell,but he rang the devil's bell
Like any country singer worth his salt, several of Chamber's
songs deal with love lost, but none paint quite so vivid a picture
as the title track.
I've been sleeping with the blues,
And it almost feels like home.
Not the company I'd choose,
But at last I'm not alone.
I've stopped talking to the walls,
Of this lonely hotel room.
At last I've found a friend.
I'm sleeping with the blues.
So next time you hear my voice,
Please don't hang up the phone.
Just be careful what you say.
Chances are I'm not alone.
Sleeping With the Blues was recorded and produced late
last spring while Chambers was on hiatus from his "day job,"
playing in daughter Kasey's band. It contains all of the elements
of a truly fine country album, both musically and lyrically.
Bill Chambers can currently be seen touring with daughter
Kasey, not only as a band member but also as her opening act,
where from what I hear he puts on one fine show. Sources who
have been to the shows tell me that he is not only a gifted songwriter
and performer, but also one of the more genuine folks in the
music biz today, willing to take the time to not only promote
the family's music, but to just shoot the breeze in general.
Considering the very earthy nature of Sleeping With the Blues,
I don't find this in the least bit surprising.
Reckless Records maintains a website for Chambers at www.recklessrecords.com.
You can purchase Sleeping With the Blues here or at many
fine music e-tailers.
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