Flower-Powered Artist - August 2007

Carina Round

Bordering on rock out loud to obscure and artsy darker edge, singer/songwriter Carina Round steadily creates waves in today's music scene. She’s bold, intense and a complete oddball – qualities that are clearly visible in her musical compositions and carries through her live gigs. No one can deny the prowess of Carina on-stage, as she literally unleashes an onslaught of electrifying power-punch filled performances replete with her quirky personality.

Carina was born in Low Hill Wolverhampton, England on 1979. Such is the tale of her musical initiation, where she started out singing to a celery stick in front of the mirror by the age of 5. Until finally, at about age 15 – she recalls “I don't know, I woke up one morning and I went from sounding like a kettle boiling to actually being able to sing properly...” Since then, she decided to follow a musical career path. Almost immediately afterwards, she moved to Birmingham and started doing live gigs. The move was beneficial to her career, as Birmingham afforded her a better shot at a more active live music scene.

By 2001 at age 21, she has independently produced and released her first record The First Blood Mystery. The record came out under Carina’s own record company, Animal Noise. The 7-track record is a surprising debut effort that comprised of jazzy acoustic-laden compositions. The follow-up record, The Disconnection, half dwells on a rockier edge and literally disconnects on the other half into a more melodic obscurity. The Disconnection, which was initially released under her record company, garnered its fair share of critical acclaim that eventually led to comparisons ranging from Bjork and PJ Harvey to Jeff Buckley and Robert Plant.

There’s still much room for growth for the skillful young artist to hone her craft and get a much deserved exposure, thus the next logical step is to move to a bigger area. Carina chose Los Angeles and this is where she met the veteran songwriter and record producer, Glen Ballard (famed for producing Alanis Morissette's opus, Jagged Little Pill). The meeting was facilitated by the Eurythmic-turned-mogul Dave Stewart, who antecedently – along with Jimmy Iovine (Universal Music & Interscope Records) – signed Carina under WME/Interscope.

The first record that came out under WME/Interscope was the 2004 re-released version of The Disconnection. After almost a year long delay, the second record under her LA-based label was finally released in June 5, 2007. Her latest effort, carrying the Anoushka Fisz’-inspired title, Slow Motion Addict was entirely made here in Los Angeles with the help of the legendary Glen Ballard. Recording in ways unconventional to the young artist and writing songs, where she finally felt comfortable enough to do so, with her band; the new full-length comes in more as a herald of a more accessible Carina Round.

KGRL is proud to present August 2007's Flower-Powered Artist, Carina Round. Get to enjoy exclusive materials that we gathered from this ground-breaking artist. This month is presented with our usual all or nothing full-on feature including: a KGRL exclusive interview (audio/transcribed), Slow Motion Addict CD Review, exclusive photos, and the entire Cinespace CD Release Party Performance 06.05.07 streamed on-demand.

KGRL Carina Round Interview

KGRL had a chance to go on a one on one interview with Carina Round. The interview was held in Cinespace - 06.05.07.

Listen to Carina Round's responses in High Quality MP3 Stream using the player below:




Transcription excerpt from the interview:

KGRL: When and why did you decide to move to the US?

Carina Round: I moved, well... My first experience of the US was a tour with the Snow Patrol a few years ago and the first place we landed was Atlanta, Georgia. And then we traveled around the US for about a month. Then I came back to record this record called Slow Motion Addict with Glen Ballard in Encino and then in Hollywood, which took a few weeks - probably a couple of months.

Then I decided to test the water from moving here, so I stayed here for a month without doing anything - because my record company is based out here. I thought it would be a good idea to try and expand the fan base particularly for instance in California where it's as big as France. So instead of moving from England to France (Laughs), it seemed a good idea to come over to the US - and LA seems like a good place to start as the record company is based here.

We came out here also to make the movie, which is made to coincide with the record. We spent 10 days doing that. I just decided it was time to move on from the UK. I thought there is a lot more opportunities available to me out here. I think if you come to LA and all really willing to put the work in, it can really pay off for you.


-> READ the full transcript along with high/low quality mp3 of the Interview by Clicking Here! <-

Slow Motion Addict CD Review

And finally it came out... The year-long delay only strengthens the fan's anticipation of the record. Slow Motion Addict is the first original release under Carina's new LA-based label, WME/Interscope. The album was recorded under the helm of songwriter/producer Glen Ballard. The result is an album well-polished, scrupulously-recorded, and lavishly produced. All these may or may not take away from Carina’s quirky and oddball personality that sparkles much from the independent recordings of her first two albums.

The first listen to the whole record reflects the high production value that went into the recording. However, there is also a discernible likeness with Carina’s last record, The Disconnection, in a way that it started out with the rockers and ended with the slow, obscure, and darker compositions.

The first track, Stolen Car, starts the record with a bang. This rocker track bears an uncanny resemblance to The Disconnection’s Into My Blood. From the nicely layered vocal intro to the feverishly catchy chorus, it’s quite a statement that says “Carina is here! Ready or not, I’m going to rock your world!” How Many Times follows it up with almost the same level of intensity but is a bit tamer than the opener, although still quite a rocker. The jeeringly haunting vocal and background vocal work complements the angst-driven sick and tired of the world theme. (This track is one of the three tracks solely written by Carina)

The part electronic-beat/guitar-wrenching Gravity Lies initially lulls the listener into a feeling that Carina is playing it safe - going into a more poppish arrangement - until a jolt comes in by chorus with the guitars booming in and then again by the solo part, which has Carina wailing like a banshee. Ready To Confess comes in next, which is a solid grade-A rocker. Carina’s vocal prowess is in display as she effortlessly wails
like an undulating siren.

Want More gives us more of what it seems like an endless barrage of very accessible yet pleasing rock tunes. Whilst Take The Money is a throw back at retro-rock that makes an amazing crowd pleaser. The song tackles on a very prominent issue in the music biz, the one about selling-out for sweet – or rather, bitter - success.

Down Slow slows it down to a crawl into almost a down-tempo/trip-hop fashion, quite a repeat-demanding track. This is admittedly one of the best tracks in the CD that benefits from the glossy high production recording. Come To You starts out in the same down-tempo fashion and slowly builds up to a fashionably groovy rocker. Unlike some people who would shun on the use of synthesized electronic sounds, I feel that it works very effectively on this track - even if the band is somewhat drowned in it. The vocal work is
simply top-notch.

Slow Motion Addict, the title track, is surely a standout. Great main/background vocals, pulsating baseline, laid back electric guitar (that comes in by the middle) - all makes for a near perfect earcandy. The track is as slow and as addictive as the title hints. Immediately following is another great track, January Heart. The song is a slow burner; it might need a couple of repeat listens to really get into it. But once it does, it does not let go. (This is the second of the Carina solely-written songs, with the next track The Disconnection as the third)

The Disconnection sounds familiar... Ah yes, it is the title of her previous CD and now it made its way to the new record as a track title. Sadly though, both the last tracks: The Disconnection and The City failed to rouse our musical senses. The vocal work is quite good in both but the songs themselves feel a bit too sappy for our taste. One track that does not appear on the CD but is available on iTunes is Same Girlfriend. It is a pretty solid rocker that rightly belongs to the first half of the CD.

When taken as a whole, Slow Motion Addict is an entangled mix of genres with crossovers from hard rockers to slow down-tempo beats to slow obscurities. The spit-shine production values afforded in this record may shy away some of the fans of the two previous records but there is nothing to be feared, the record IS still a Carina Round record. There’s no selling-out, only polishing. Sans the last two tracks, everything else is a winner.

Slow Motion Addict CD - Buy It Now (Click Here)!

Tracklist:

Stolen Car
How Many Times
Gravity Lies
Ready To Confess
Want More
Take The Money
Down Slow
Come To You
Slow Motion Addict
January Heart
The Disconnection
The City
Same Girlfriend (available on iTunes)

-> Or you can join our Slow Motion Addict CD giveaway and win one of the 3 signed CDs! <-

KGRL Exclusive Carina Round Photos

Play Slideshow!

KGRL Exclusive Videos - Cinespace CD Release Party 06.05.07

KGRL proudly presents Carina Round's Cinespace Slow Motion Addict CD Release Party Performance - 06.05.07. The streams can be viewed using our embedded flash player. We hope you enjoy these wonderful videos.

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Gravity Lies Downslow Elegy

How Many Times Backseat Ready To Confess

Come To You Slow Motion Addict Take The Money