Courtney Chambers - Tales of the Aftermath

Courtney Chambers

Tales of the Aftermath
self-released; 2015

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Courtney Chambers is no newcomer to music. In 2001 she formed her indie label Royal Daughter Records and went on to put out three records on her label. Her latest release Tales of the Aftermath showcases the ample amount of talent that Chambers still possesses. This is unequivocally a pop album but also has enough of an edge that it dodges the usual tropes in top 40 pop that make me cringe. 

When it comes to the production and sound quality it is top notch. It has that radio ready quality that is obvious once you hear her songs. The album starts with “The Bitter End” which is a good opener for a number of reasons. It starts off subdued with palm-muted guitars and atmospheric pads as Chambers keeps her voice relatively subdued. The dynamic opens up and the song starts to have more energy eventually reaching the crescendo towards the end of the song. 

Chambers shows her versatility on the next couple of tracks. “Love and Music” is a catchy tune, which shows off her range while “Forget The Gloom” is an upbeat, fun song, which was a personal favorite. 

“Young Lovers” is another good song that moves around at a slower pace, which reminded me of Mazzy Star. You really get to hear the nuances on her voice, which is a good thing when you have a voice like hers. As the album progresses there are a number of songs with different types of energy. The festive “Wasting Time” feels worlds away from “Heart of This Man.”

I like Chambers’ music but I thought that her niche is a little blurry. Her music is too poppy to be welcomed into the underground and maybe a little too off-kilter to be embraced by the mainstream. Either way I enjoyed Tales of the Aftermath and think you might as well.

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