Carina Round

Country of origin:

England

Type of music generally:

Beautiful and fierce alternative rock

Status:

Most recent release, Deranged to Divine (compilation, 2016); most recent release of new material, Tigermending (2012)

See also:

Carina Round's site

Wikipedia's entry on Carina Round

Carina Round also appears in groups Puscifer and Early Winters

Comparisons:

PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, a touch of Rickie Lee Jones, Kristeen Young, Tara Jane O'Neil

Covers/own material:

Own and co-written

General comments:

Carina Round is a powerful, edgy and near-frightening performer and songwriter, whose songs deal with the darker and more fractious side of human emotions. (adamk@zoom.co.uk)

I agree about Carina Round. She is wonderful. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)

Comments about live performance:

Finally got to see Carina Round, creator of the excellent first blood mystery last night: she was part of the "Roadworks" series of gigs, singer/songwriters lumped together on the bill. Carina Round, though.....ahhhh, Carina. First of all: she's gorgeous. Utterly gorgeous. Her set consisted of nine songs, only three of which come from the album. The rest are all new, part of an album she'll be recording in the new year. Her new songs confirmed my PJ Harvey (To Bring You My Love era) comparison. She is sooooo good. With incredible support from her band (special mention to the atmospheric, Marc Ribot-like stylings of guitarist Tom Livemore) she stomped along, took no prisoners. A seductive outpouring of bile, a beautiful, blood-stained caress of the spine. Get her album. Get it now. And watch out for her. If there's any justice (but is there ever?) she should be huge. I can't praise Carina Round high enough. GET THE ALBUM!! (12/02)
     Quite an intense performance from Carina last night at the Garage. The evening somewhat marred by the fact that this had been billed, originally, as a headline gig, which was then changed to co-headline with another band. Carina still packs more in a half hour than most bands do in an hour, and this was a shining example of compressed and cathartic energy. Not quite as good as the Borderline gig I saw earlier this year, but it's great to see someone so obviously, physically and spiritually into it, so tuned in and committed to the music, but still having fun. The set comprised mostly of her second album The Disconnection, which lacks the jazzy textures of First Blood Mystery and sounds a lot more like PJ Harvey. It was a tight, all-too-brief set. And she'd even brought her mother along (ahhhhhh). (11/03)
     Well, another performance from Carina that can only be described as....cathartic. And awe-inspiring and beauteous. The good news was that she was headlining, really headlining. Despite having a really bad cold, Carina gave a fireball of a performance, never letting the songs suffer (although her inter-song banter sounded deathly croaky). The one-hour set drew, again, mostly from her new album, The Disconnection, with only "Let it Fall" from her debut making it through. I still think this is a pity, as is a lot more musically adventurous than The Disconnection, but the evening held one of those wondrous, eye-opening surprises in the form of the live version of "Elegy". I've always thought of it as a rather puzzling fizzle-out of a final song on The Disconnection, but she and her band enlarged it into something amazing, an epic, dazzling and uplifting soundscape that I didn't want to end. Everything a live version should be. And, as for her spoken-word rant at the end of "Let It Fall"—well, she's a woman possessed, and it's electrifying. Go see. Go see. (1/04)
     Lordy, what a show. Carina, as ever, gave it her all. Beset by technical difficulties that delayed her start and shortened her set (as well as her fuse), she seemed rattled but carried on with typical energy and fire, and with the heat of the room and the closeness of the walls and ceilings, it was as if she'd just opened up her mouth, swallowed us all up and everything was now taking place inside her head. Her new EP got a thorough outing (I have my copy, at last!) and the new music, which she previewed at the Borderline last year, has a gentler, looser feel to it, a bit more akin—musically, at least—to her first album and yet dreamier and yet still quite, quite sinister. It all sounds great, and I can't wait to give the EP a good listen—I've been humming the refrain from "Backseat" all the way into work, which hasn't pleased my fellow commuters none. She had a great band, despite the absence of regular Tom Livermore and, after a stretch of mellower numbers, let rip with some of her louder pieces which squalled around us like a storm of pure noise and adrenalin, burning out the eardrums and raising the hairs on the back of my teeth. It always baffles me that she's not bigger—in any sane world, she would be massive and playing venues somewhat bigger than the Water Rats. (7/09)
     I was well and truly Carina'd last night, as she returned to England for the first time in two years—she's been hanging out in LA—armed with a bizarre hybrid accent and a killer band. My, that woman can put on a show.
     Vibrant, electric, a Fury with a guitar, howling like a banshee and coming on like Medea at an open-mic night. And I mean all of this in the best possible way. She sang a lot of new songs from an upcoming album, which sounds like it will be a...umm...challenging album, certainly a change from the gentler, more haunting EP she was touting last time she was over. She also treated us to a number of songs from her first album, which is being re-released...on vinyl. I seem to have missed the boat on all of this, finding as usual that it's hard work being a fan and all too easy to drop out of the loop. Quite a crowd there for her, as well. (6/11, adamk@zoom.co.uk)

WOW—let me reiterate WOW. I was expecting piano, but got guitar—crunchy, loud, intense, fantastic...I need to go listen to the new album again after seeing her live—only downer from the show was the shortness and that she didn't have time to play more songs from the first album. One of the best concerts of the year. (11/03, gordoja@optonline.net)

"I don't know if you realize this, but every time I open my mouth to sing, I get an electric shock. It's like being at the dentist." It was quite an uncomfortable show for Carina and band keyboards/electronic noises bearded guy and guitarist Dan Burns). Her vocals buzzed during the 'Thief in the sky' loops and she got the giggles each time the garbled loop came around again. The Will-Oldman-looking keyboardist (seriously, he belongs in sepia and someone will discover him in an early branch of their family tree) mock whacked his head against the wall. The band exchanged eye-rolls and growls. Nonetheless, as soon as they started each song it was great.
     After a wonderful show on Friday at the Living Room (where the line to get in stretched up the stairs to Googie's Lounge, as well as clusters outside), Carina for some reason was playing a 10.30pm Sunday night gig at cute little Williamsburg pub Pete's Candy Store. The back room, where musicians play for tips (lots of $1 bills, cheap audience bastards), is as narrow as a train carriage so sight-lines are a premium. I wrangled the second chair from the front, next to a Birmingham Carina fan whose second Carina show had been the first blood mystery release! Since we had both been at the front at the Living Room we felt stalkerish. Hopefully musicians can tell when you're obsessed with their music, not them, but they must wonder.
     The room is brown with a wood ceiling, reconstituted wood sound-proofing lumps on the walls, brown fleur-de-lis embossed wall-paper, brown lino floor and strange brown lowered ceiling things along the sides like airplane overhead lockers. "It's like a pool hall" observed the Brummie. "I mean snooker" she clarified, as I imagined a sunken mud pool and happy hippos.
     Carina and band played 'Please don't stop', 'Do you', 'Thief in the sky' (love the band hand-claps), the funky new song about leaving LA, 'Spanish Burn' ('Early Winters' collaboration with Justin Rutledge and Dan Burns), 'Backseat' (with audience sing-along), and dropped 'For everything a reason' because of the discomfort of electrocution. Bestest was 'Into my blood' which she did acoustic and off-mic, allowing her voice to be powerful and whispery. (6/09, k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz)

Recommended first album:

the first blood mystery, for its more adventurous arrangements. (adamk@zoom.co.uk)

I would say The Disconnection for its pure guts and power. (Neile)

Recordings:

• the first blood mystery (2001)
• The Disconnection (2003)
• Slow Motion Addict (2006/2007 in U.S.)
• Things You Should Know (EP, 2009)
• Tigermending (2012)
• Deranged to Divine (compilation, 2016)

the first blood mystery

Release info:

2001—animal noise—ANICD114

Availability:

U.K.

Ecto priority:

Essential

Group members:

Carina Round—vocals, acoustic guitar

Guest artists:

Simon Smith (Smudge)—all stand-up bass
Marcus Galley—drums (except "Let it Fall")

Produced by:

Gavin Monaghan

Comments:

A personal and fire-fuelled odyssey, Carina's debut covers the entire spectrum of human emotion with an impressive array of styles, from the latin-tinged piano of "message to apollo", the massed recorders of "lightbulb song", the jazz-inflected "how I see it", right up to the harrowing, blood-curdling finale of "on leaving", this album shows her to be musically and emotionally mature beyond her years, and stuffed full of so many layers, textures that its short running time is all but forgotten—she packs a powerful punch in only seven songs. It was a BIG find that I picked up purely on spec. Ever have that? Ever just see a cover and think "Hmmmm....could be interesting". Well, I fell for it. And it's bloody brilliant. One of those CDs that I put on, listened to......and then listened to again. And then again. I must have listened to it five times today. It's not like I'm humming the tunes, or anything, and therein lies the beauty. After the hype over Gemma Hayes and her riffs and her way with a lyric (which is: repeat a line; repeat it again; repeat it again; repeat it again; go back to the beginning) it's something of a relief to find someone who stretches a tune a bit. I'd give you a comparison, but my head gave out after a while...."A bit like PJ Harvey meets Rickie Lee Jones....no, wait, a bit like...a bit like....Katie Carr, or..." oh, sod it. buy it. hear the massed recorders, the weirdly harmonising voices, the muted trumpet and upright bass, stick around for the last, epic tune that sounds like something PJ would do if she decided to experiment a bit. It's a short album: 7 songs, 36 minutes. But it packs....well, not so much a punch, more of a haunting, blood-soaked caress.
      Buy it. (adamk@zoom.co.uk)

I definitely second Adam's recommendation—the Carina Round disc is wonderful. Reminds me a bit of Tara Jane O'Neil's albums (I know it doesn't help to relate to another extremely obscure artist but it will have to do...). One of the best discoveries of the year. (gordoja@optonline.net)

The Disconnection

Release info:

2003—Dehisce—DEHIS CD 001

Availability:

U.K.

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Carina Round—vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, Rhodes, mandolin

Guest artists:

Tom Livemore—electric guitars, harmonium, piano, tape delay, mandolin
Simon Smith—electric bass, double bass, portamento, electric guitar
John Large—drums, various percussion, gravel in a box
Marcus Galley—drums on "Sit Tight"

Produced by:

Gavin Monaghan & Carina Round

Comments:

Lacking the variety of textures and influences that filled her debut, this is somewhat disappointing, and comes across as a far more generic piece in terms of style. It doesn't give me the same visceral thrill as her first one, which I knew immediately was great. It all sounds cleaned up and not quite as full-on as her first one, as well as her live versions of these songs. That said, it still packs an emotional punch, and there's no doubting her commitment and honesty. Songs like "Into My Blood", "Paris" and "Monument" still rattle the bones and fire the soul, and keep her miles ahead of the pack. (adamk@zoom.co.uk)

a beautiful and fierce classic. not a bad song and fans of kristeen young will dig this. it's astonishing. she recalls polly jean and how. very close to the best of the year. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)

This is one of the most gutsy, focused, powerful, and beautiful albums I've ever heard. Raw but also hook- and melody-filled. Amazing. As Adam says, it rattles the bones and fires the soul. While I really liked her her first album, this one knocks me out. (Neile)

Slow Motion Addict

Release info:

2006 (2007 U.S.)—Interscope Records

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Carina Round—vocals, guitar, piano

Guest artists:

Tom Livemore—guitar, piano, synthesizer
Glen Ballard—piano, synthesizer
John Large—celesta, drums, percussion
Simon Smith—bass synthesizer, electric bass

Produced by:

Glen Ballard

Comments:

The release date for this has been put off and put off in the UK until I finally broke down and found a promo copy on Amazon U.S. marketplace. And it was worth the wait. Starts out utterly brilliantly, gets a bit samey in a PJ Harvey way in the middle, then pulls out hidden depths towards the end, leaving me haunted. Sure, sounding like PJ Harvey is no bad thing, but I still miss the complexities and eclectic influences of her debut. That said, this is a great CD and one of the rare new releases I find myself listening to over and over again. This strays further from the jazzy and occasionally feral feel of her debut, but the set of tunes on offer here are so good, so sharp and full of feeling and commitment and it's all so bright and full of punch, it's just brilliant. (1/8/07, adamk@zoom.co.uk)

For me this album is disappointing until about halfway through, when it suddenly gains energy and life and individuality again. the first blood mystery is indeed mysterious but punchy, The Disconnection is totally gutsy, and this one is a mixed bag, seeming as though she (or more likely Glen Ballard) was aiming at dulling down her sound in order to gain popularity but couldn't bring herself to do it entirely. Some great moments. (Neile)

Things You Should Know EP

Release info:

2009

Availability:

See Carina Round's site

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Carina Round—vocals, guitar, banjo, piano, glock, program

Guest artists:

Tom Livemore—fancy guitars
Simon Jason Smith—electric, upright, and synth bass
Zac Rae—all manner of evil, piano, marxophone, vibes, harmonium, mellotron, keyboards
Visitors & passersby—stomps, claps
Danny T. Levin—horns (1)
Johnny McDaid—vocals; reverse piano, Rhodes (2)
Simon Smith—vocals
Lenka, Barak Hardley, Cary Brothers, Lauren "Kentucky" Smith, Timothy Casebolt, Julie Mitchell, Bobby Musgrow, Bruce Urena, Keaton & Trevyn Savage, Danielle Angello, Angela "Rockstar" Vicar, Kristin Burns, Tina "Fuckyeah" Adamian, Heather "Social" Cvar, Arianna "Woot Woot" Basco, Brett Grace, Samual Stewart, Django James, Clare Acey, "The" Seth Alton, Miles Crawford—backing vocals (1)
Dan Burns—backing vocals (1); additional percussion (4, 5); bass (5)
Dan Cho—cello (4, 5)
Scott Seiver—additional percussion (4)
Cully Symington—drums (2)
Charlie Paxon—drams (5) Billy Mohler—bass (4, 5); guitar (4, 5); percussion (4) arp (5)

Produced by:

Dan Burns & Carina Round

Comments:

EPs allow for perfection much more than full albums, esp albums with 17 tracks from redheads who don't know how to edit :) Carina's voice sounds lovely. If slow motion addict was too glossy pop for you, you might enjoy this ballad-heavy collection. Perhaps she can't write a raw First blood mystery again because her sense of perfect pop melody is too strong.
     Single 'Backseat' is pretty and one day I might get over my irritation with the closing lyrics (video on website). 'Please don't stop' is gorgeous and soft then loud, yey. 'Thief in the sky' is one of the catchiest songs Carina has ever written, up there with 'Into my blood'. A recording can't replicate the fun of watching her layer her voice with loops live, but still wonderful. 'Do you' is the gorgeous delicate whisper that climaxes with loud guitars and eyes being scratched out. Not as vicious as live versions, but works better as a song this way. 'For everything a reason' is another lovely ballad which gets loud. That seems to be her new favorite song structure :) (k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz)

Yes! Go listen to it! It's every bit as good as they're saying from what I've heard. (lotterose @ gmail . com)

Back to form! I love this. I agree with Karen: Her voice sounds lovely and the songs are great. This is terrific and highly recommended. (Neile)

Tigermending

Release info:

2012

Availability:

See Carina Round's site

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Carina Round—vocals, guitars, acoustic guitar, piano, doorbell, bells, synths

Guest artists:

T. J. Livemore—fancy guitars, guitars
Simon Jason Smith—upright bass, bass (2, 3, 6, 8–11); vocals (10)
Scott Seiver—drums (1–2, 4–11); piano (8)
Zac Rae—bass (1, 4, 5); synth bass, vocoder, piano, marimba, mellotron, orchestron, baritone guitar, Yamaha CS60 (100); vocoder vocals (1); additional synths (10)
Danny T. Levin—horns
David Moyer—saxophone, clarinet
Dan Cho—cellos
Dan Burns—echoplex (1); bass drums (10)
Sierra Swan—vocals (2)
Claire Acey—vocals (3, 4, 6, 7, 9)
Samuel Stewart—vocals (3, 4, 6, 9)
Django James—vocals (3, 4)
Blair Sinta—drums (3, 6), percussion (3)
Brian Kehew—mystery instrument (4)
Aiden Hawken—vocals (5, 6)
Tim Young—fancy guitars, guitars (5, 7)
Robert Musgrove—vocals (6)
Simon Smith—vocals (6)
Jeff Friedl—drums (6)
Billy Mohler—bass (7)
Johnny McDaid—vocals (8)
David A. Stewart—original synths (10)
Brian Eno—original synths (10)

Produced by:

Dan Burns and Carina Round

Comments:

I'm still absorbing this one, but it feels like a classically great Carina Round album: passionate, heartbreaking, inventive, powerful songwriting, and terrific vocals. Hooray! (Neile)

One of the best albums of the year. (gordoja@optonline.net, stjarnell@yahoo.com)

Thanks to Adam Kimmel and JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.

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