Chris Chameleon

His name says it all. Chris Chameleon has the right to change as often as he wants to. Following on the success of last year's Ingrid Jonker album, he has gone one, no two, better. This weekend he released two new albums.

The one, 7de Hemel (Rhythm Records), is based on his stint on 7de Laan playing the role of a singer. "I often heard the night before that I had to have a song ready the next day," says the prolific songwriter. Obviously, he can do that and this latest Afrikaans album provides the proof.

The CD consists of folk-type songs. Musically, Chameleon has kept it clean, almost acoustic, and he goes solo when he performs the music live

The remarkable thing is not only the writing but also the music, which is what keeps him a step ahead. He has the pretty songs but then he uses the music to express the emotions as much as he does the lyrics. There's an individuality, a Chameleon quality, that makes the CD special.

But there's the voice and that's part of the package. He has an ability with his voice that has become his trademark and on the different CDs he uses it to its best advantage. And, of course, his ability to make sounds that come across like another level of instruments. It adds a funky touch which can't be said too often of this genre of music. It's good stuff.

After a short interval, he's back with the band for his second album, Shine (also Rhythm Records), and this is when Boo! fans will recognise the old Chameleon . There's as much fun in the performance as the music. Live, it is much louder than the almost gentle rock on the CD. But it is the performance that adds a wonderful theatrical edge.

Chameleon is a bit like David Bowie. His belief in his own music and ability allows him to step into another persona as he slips into the different songs. Suddenly there's the rocker as he struts, shakes his hips and throws his head from side to side. But there's also a twinkle in his eye, as if he shares the joke with his audience.

And again there's the voice. Four octaves is what we're told and it is quite something to experience.

It's amazing what this young musician has achieved with the two releases. He has the full package and it is his ability to use the voice, the writing, the music and then to top that, the performance, to their best effect. But then the proof is still in the listening and whether it holds up on its own.

Shine is quite beautiful with music very different to his Afrikaans albums, but the lyrics are sharp, the music has a strong individual sound and yes, it's cool.

Chris Chameleon, who can still be seen on 7de Laan until July 2, is hoping to reach a wider audience. Together with his former band Boo!, he made a name internationally, but this time he hopes to achieve the recognition locally and with a much wider audience.

Check him out. The man is seriously talented and knows how to put it out there.
- Independent News & Media

Chris Chameleon - 7de Hemel

Label: Rhythm Records
We gave it:
*****
We really shouldn’t be surprised by the production values on any of Chameleon’s work anymore. His output with Boo! colleagues Ampie Omo and Princess Leonie had already established him as a leading light in SA’s adult pop and rock market.
Such was the achievement of that band that despite a certain amount of skepticism over anything that might have come after, it’s hard to declare 7de Hemel anything but excellent, without feeling a little bit disappointed that you couldn't finally say "Chameleon's lost it!".

7de Hemel is part of a trilogy of hugely acclaimed releases by Chameleon; the others being an English language album called Shine, and the Ingrid Jonker-inspired Ek Herhaal Jou.

Loosely connected to TV show 7de Laan (in which Chameleon stars), the songs are inspired by the character he plays, but really don’t stray too far from Chameleon’s unique voice and energy. The basis of the sound of the album is acoustic guitars and percussion, with the odd bit of layered texturing from keys and additional instruments.

24.com download favourite “Sterredank” weighs in with quirky percussive vocal effects; while “Houvas” and “Wagtyd” take a form that Cat Stevens fans might feel at home with. There’s a sense of folky fun on “Kwaad” and “Reis”. And as for the rest? There’s not a poor vocal performance to be found.

Overall, Chameleon delivers a rich, warm, textured collection of acoustically driven songs, well worth finding, securing and holding onto for those rainy Sunday afternoons on the couch.

- Anton Marshall - 24.com

4 stars ( out of 5)

Versatile by nature, Mr Chameleon is one talented reptile and has produced an album just as original, complex and creative as himself. It will be quite some time before you get bored with this one, but for the real deal, we suggest you get yourself to a live gig. Everything makes a lot more sense when you see him in the flesh. And what sexy flesh it is. – Natalie Pool - Heat Magazine

five stars out of five

Boo! cross-dresser goes straight for an assault on Arno Carsten's top male vocalist title. Skort, Arno! ***** - FHM

CHRIS CHAMELEON – SHINE ( 4 STARS)

An avant-cabaret cocktail of styles, curiously enough Shine`s appeal isn`t just about Chris Chameleon`s genre-morphing genius. Its an exhilarating listen because Chameleon`s uninhibited charismatic quirkiness finally gives South Africa mainstream rock a marketable alternative to the mundane middle- of -the –road- metro -sexuality of Arno and Watershed. ipod ready: sublime love ballad Anywhere

by Miles Keylock - GQ Magazine

five out of five stars

It's almost entirely unneccessary to write this review. Certainly in the Afrikaans media there have been so many exultant reviews that the best I can do is to tell you in English that if you want to spend money on one Afrikaans CD this year, it must be this one (there are actually seven Afrikaans CDs that you should buy, so far, this year, but this one is the most accessible).

You already know Chris Chameleon. You might've been a Boo! fan, closet or full-on. Maybe you know him from way back in the short-lived Blue Chameleon. Or you remember him from some TV roles and just have a crush on him because he's so damn attractive.

But what's this Afrikaans shit he's bringing out? Who's this dead poet whose lyrics he's using?

Ingrid Jonker, is the name of the poet — one of South Africa's greatest (Mandela read her poem 'Die Kind' in parliament in 1994) ever. She committed suicide by drowning herself, at age 31, in the sea at Three Anchor Bay in 1965.

Chameleon got into her poetry only recently and it made such an impact on him, that songs just hurtled off his guitar. In interviews he has said how the poetry just immediately lent itself to being sung, that they were basically already completed pop song lyrics.

But while Chameleon effortlessly turns every single (I assure you, there are no duds here) one into a consumable acoustic pop number, the lyrics bind and explode underneath, the one line pushing the next up ahead into scenes so heavy with the mixed vegetation of literature and a scarred young woman trying her best to have a good time that you'll constantly want to press pause, just to let it all settle.

The miracle is how easily Chameleon (I suppose he gave himself the name for a reason) managed to swing from Boo!'s monki-punk — a creation in sound, language and structure entirely of their own — to this more conventional format. All in Afrikaans, driven by acoustic instruments and Chameleon's unaffected voice (no speaking like aliens here).

And that voice. Here it gains a new timbre, something earthier and more forceful. There's still the amazing acrobatic qualities too, for his voice can go where none other in this country can.

Live, the performance of this material is also a revelation, with every show rife with small improvisations. (And Boo! fans will be glad to hear that he also performs some reworked classics from his old band at shows.)

From the title track's hidden erotica ("terwyl ek jou herhaal/ met my borste/ wat die holtes van my hande namaak") to the seemingly playful (but oh, the pain it hides) 'Jy't My Gekierang' to numbers of such great, sweeping melancholy ('Fragment', 'As Jy Slaap') that you will want to unzip your skin and shoot yourself into space like Hunter S. Thompson to the head-banging tune of 'My Pop Val Stukkend'.

It's dark, but cheerful, it's full of hope, but teeming with death. Even the best poetry can appear boring on paper, especially if books aren't a medium you readily engage with. So thank God for Chameleon, who took faded gold and made it whistle and fizz into fourteen shimmering pop songs of unexpected impact and beauty.

There's a drawer here with a phrase I haven't used for a while. It's pretty heavy shit, so give me a moment while I unpack it and put it in the right order:

Modern-day classic.

by Toast Coetzer - iafrica.com

Last night (Thursday 12 October 2007) I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Chris Chameleon gig at Mercury Live. I have only ever seen Chris perform on his own with an acoustic guitar at one or two performances at the Armchair. This performance was a little different though with full band in tow. I have to admit I really enjoy the more intimate vibe of his acoustic set (I think it suites his style of music a bit more), but was really impressed by the stage antics and professionalism of his almost Freddie Mercury like performance. The man is a performer through and through. Even with a sprained ankle he managed to liven up the stage with some trademark moves.

The crowd really enjoyed the party, but I think the history lesson on the origins of the Afrikaans language was partly lost on many (an intelligent portrayal I thought) and I think I even saw a few conservative eyebrows raised when mention was made of certain forbidden fruits enjoyed by Chris in earlier years (I say no more).

I do feel that everyone there was privileged in witnessing a true master of his art at work. Check out our gig guide for his next performance.

Etienne Buys - Cape Town Underground

Released simultaneously, this could just be a clever marketing ploy to cash in on Chris’ appearance in popular soapie 7de Laan. But this is so much more than that. Yes, maybe if Chris didn’t appear as a troubled singer in the hit TV series, he would sell less of these CD’s. But he already established himself with his first solo CD “Ek herhaal jou,” with Ingrid Jonker poems being adapted into some of the best Afrikaans music in years. He’s also had a loyal following with English fans from his days where he wore a dress on stage and fronted the band Boo. But enough about the past. This is the sound of the future. Let me just say this upfront. At the moment there are two CD’s battling it out in my eyes for the best album of 2006. And both of them are by Chris Chameleon.

I’ve recently had the priviledge of seeing Chris perform live at Oppikoppi. If there was a power failure that night (and if the back-up generators for some reason decided not to work) the sheer electricity from this singer’s performance would’ve lit up the immediate surrounds. This guy knows how to entertain. And the amazing thing is that he even managed to get people who would otherwise probably never listen to Afrikaans music, dancing, jumping, singing and swaying (although the last bit could also have had something to do with sweet smell that filled the air).

Some people are put off by the funny things Chris does with his voice on some of the songs. But if you have a sense for adventure, your ears are in for treat (and it’s not everyday you find someone who can teach birdlife a thing or two about range…) Every track is a surprise… just when you think you’ve got the Chris Chameleon sound pinned down, the CD player spews out the next song and you just end up sitting in utter amazement. Shine starts off with a “turn the volume up all the way to 11” track called “Blue.” Once you’ve recovered from that, move on to subtler things with the sincerity and raw emotion of tracks like “Garden,” “Sad Heart” and “Anywhere.” As Chris points out in the lyrics of “Anywhere,” you’ll find him anywhere there’s sunshine or where it rains at the right time, anywhere near the smile of a neighbour or anywhere in a home of love… the exact places I picture hearing Chris’ music.

7de Hemel, the Afrikaans CD, proves that there are still new frontiers that could be reached and crossed in Afrikaans music without getting stuck in lyrics dealing with some Leeuloop or Skarumba (whatever that is). This is deep, meaningful stuff from a singer who thanks his creator for making him the happiest person he knows, his fans for simply liking his music and those who don’t like him for bringing out the best in him. Standout tracks are “Vlerke” and “Wagtyd,” both playlisted on Jacaranda 94.2. Be adventurous, reward yourself with someone whose music keeps changing with every note… almost like a chameleon… - 94.2 Jacaranda FM

Expertly produced DVD of Mr Chameleon playing a live gig in Stellenbosch. “Mr who?” Ex-frontman of Boo! — remember them? Chris carries through the energy that made Boo! so popular, but now has a slicker look and a more polished set.

What a pleasure to have surround sound on a local production. The lighting’s fantastic and his band build and maintain excitement throughout, rather than going through the bland motions we often see from more generic local acts.

If nothing else, Chris Chameleon is a true individual with artistic vision. Buy into that and you’ll love the show. There are tracks from his English album Shine plus his award-winning Ingrid Jonker album Ek herhaal jou.

Special Features

Music videos, featurette. — GP - Sunday Times

Chris Chameleon – Klassieke Chameleon (rhythm records)

8/10 - Chameleon is close to attaining that odd sort of “national treasure” status. His extraordinary breadth of ability in terms of the way he writes and performs music allow him to fill his own niche while still dominating those areas of the market where the normal folk are forced to ply their trade.

Klassieke Chameleon shows off the man’s kaleidoscopic range, including songs as varied as O Sole Mio; Sunrise, Sunset (from Fiddler On The Roof), OOAA (the old Boo! song) and Die Onse Vader.

Each track is beautifully arranged and Chameleon, uncharacteristically static in a tuxedo, injects fresh energy into them with incredible vocal acrobatics and control.

If he decided to go the Bobby McFerrin route, using his voice for everything instead of relying on a backing band, he’s one of the few around who could pull it off.

The DVD’s Afrikaans title is probably as much a smart marketing move as anything else, as a number of Chameleon’s biggest recent hits have come in that market.

But the nature of the tracklisting means that any and all listeners are catered for.

There are Afrikaans poems put to music, English rock and pop songs, classic arias sung in Italian and more besides.

Chameleon’s in a class of his own. – Bruce Dennill
- The Citizen