Album Notes

Xana
"A self-made down-to-earth artist of scrappy charm and divine lyricism. Like everything Missy should’ve been, Xana has sweetness and maturity in wheelbarrows, where most have in spades." - Lisa Dib, TheDwarf.com

“Gorgeous…I can’t wait to hear more!” – Kate Miller Heidke

"Captivating" - Two High Festival, Qld

Xana is a singer/songwriter based in Brisbane, Australia. With a solo performance described as "Captivating and Thought provoking" (Two High Festival) "Xana's music gets straight to the point - grabbing you by the guts and not letting go… Xana knows how to take an audience on a wild emotional ride - she has great rapport with her listeners and the courage of direct, compelling honesty in her lyrics and performance." (Robert Davidson, Topology) Xana’s self titled EP was released in 2007.

Xana has appeared at Festivals like The Queensland Music Festival and the Two High Festival (QPAC). She is currently performing solo shows on the East Coast of Australia. Performance highlights have included supporting Canadian songstress Ember Swift, and collaborating with composer/arranger Robert Davidson of Topology to perform her songs with a 70+ Orchestra. Xana’s music has been played on Triple J, Triple ZZZ (Brisbane), 3CR (Melbourne) and Edge Radio (Hobart). Her song "Lightning and thunder" was featured on Mark Chapman’s Four part documentary series DownUnder Grads (SBS).

Xana’s debut EP "Xana" is an offering of "Luminescent Folky tracks" (Lisa Dib, TheDwarf.com) performed with a three piece band and infused with social awareness and sophisticated lyricism. The last track, Come on Home, is an electro-acoustic ballad produced by Xana Chambers herself.

Xana EP Review
Lisa Dib, TheDwarf.com
June 12 2008

Xana’s self titled EP opens with the swirly, strummy Lightning and Thunder; Xana’s vocals- somewhere between the clarity of Katie Noonan and the frank and warmness of Kate Miller-Heidke, sans the unnecessary vocal acrobatics- are like a breath of fresh air into my mouldy room. “Make me laugh, make me wonder, feel the lightning and thunder” she declares, totally immediately loveable.

The modern-day protest song that is Chemical Reaction is by no means that of whiny-Bono-esque capital. Xana injects sweetness and hope into all she sings and writes, as if her songwriting and vocal performance were no different than having a cup of tea with the lady in a cafe somewhere.

The piano-ballad Come On Home has those soft, choral vocals reminiscent of Alison Krauss’ Down to the River to Pray from O Brother, Where Art Thou? and it’s totally engaging but Lightning and Thunder is the shiner on this disc. It ensures you will see Xana as the flaneletted darling playing boppy, luminescent folky tracks (there’s even a pretty gnarly rock breakdown at about 3:12 in L&T) to you.

I had originally found Xana through research (i.e.; surfing MySpace Bands) for an article I was doing on local music. It was an A-Z sort of list, and I needed an artist starting with X. Not having any at my immediate disposal, I went in search. And Xana I found and, henceforth, Xana I love.