Australia has long been a country with similarities to the United States.  The majority of the country lives on the coasts, the country is large and country music really seems to thrive.  The industry is able to sustain itself (the only other country this seems remotely possible outside of the Australia and the USA is Canada).  Australia has also sent quite a few artists to Nashville in order to find international success with Keith Urban being the most obvious success story but others, including Sherrie Austin, Catherine Britt and Adam Brand, have found varying levels of success.  The McClymonts, a sister trio featuring Brooke, Samantha (Sam), and Mollie McClymont,  are hoping to break in the USA Market with Chaos and Bright Lights,  their award-winning Australian debut. 

Recorded in Nashville with noted producer Adam Anders (he’s the guy behind the Glee music), Chaos and Bright Lights is a sparkling 12 track collection of tunes that showcase the trio’s strong harmonies.  Brooke McClymont co-wrote nearly every track on the record and her co-writers include her sisters – who wrote the songs Brooke didn’t co-write, Trey Bruce, Frank Myers, Steve Diamond, Eric Silver, Nathan Chapman and Adam Anders.  The first two singles released in Australia and the USA are also the album’s first two tracks.  “My Life Again” features a spirited melody with sawin’ fiddles and percussive banjos leading the way as the sisters sing a SHeDAISY-like take on a woman reclaiming her life from a soul-sucking relationship.  “Save Yourself” is a slice of expertly produced country pop which finds the narrator telling a guy to run while he can because she’s been nothing but trouble on past relationships.  This is the kind of honest song that would be right at home on a Miranda Lambert disc or maybe even a Dixie Chicks record. 

“Good Cry” is a harmony-driven fiddle-laden ballad which finds the narrator proclaiming that she’s not gonna hold onto the past for too long as she decides to save all of her ‘goodbyes’ for one good cry before moving on while “Settle Down” is an interesting story song about a guy who is as in love with the rodeo and decides to chase that dream rather than please his parents own dreams.  This is a frantic, moody tune with strong production that enhances the real star of this album, the McClymonts harmonies.  “Way Too Late” chronicles a woman who has kept her heart close to herself so she cannot get hurt or burned but somehow she still ended up falling in love.  The melody is moody again but it’s more laid-back and acoustic with some gorgeous mandolin, fiddle and acoustic guitars leading the way. 

The fun and sassy “You Were Right” recalls some of Faith Hill’s finer moments from early in her career while “Shotgun” is a lovely fiddle and mandolin-laced tune that finds the McClymonts singing about how safe a man makes the narrator in the song feel . This is a song that wouldn’t be out of place on one of the great Judds records yet it still feels very modern while the playful “Favourite Boyfriend Of The Year” chronicles a habitual one-night stand.  It’s irreverent good time that is the exact kind of song that used to find its way on to country playlists in the years past (and should be nowadays). 

In fact, this is something that can be said about everything on Chaos and Bright Lights. These twelve songs showcase a strong musicality, superb songwriting ability and downright sterling vocals.  It’s not hard to understand how Universal Records in Australia signed The McClymonts or why this album went on to win many awards.  The talent present on this Nashville recorded album also shows why a label in the USA, Executive Music Group – decided to buy the rights to distribute this album in America.  It’s one of the strongest, most well-made albums of the past few years and hopefully it will help bring The McClymonts some success in the world’s largest music economy.

You can support the McClymonts by purchasing this album at Amazon | Amazon mp3 | iTunes.