Carina Round – Slow Motion Addict

Carina Round – Slow Motion Addict / 2006 Weapons of Mass Entertainment / 12 Tracks / http://www.carinaround.com / http://www.interscope.com /

I must admit, I felt a little wary after looking at the sticker on the cover of “Slow Motion Addict”, where some yob from the NME said that “At her best she fucks up the blues like no Midlander since Led Zep”. The disc’s first track is “Stolen Car”, and I do not think that Carina Round sounds the slightest bit like something that Led Zeppelin would come out with. “Stolen Car” is something that blends equal parts Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson, and while there is a little bit more of a rock base to the pop music that Round comes out with, it does not put eir into the same sphere as a classic rock band like Led Zeppelin (and this is coming from someone that does not even like Led Zeppelin).

 I have no doubt that Round will be able to climb of the UK chart and do the same a few months after that (after Saving Jane and Pink disappear from the charts), but Round has an uphill battle trying to struggle against all of the other artists trying to do the same thing. “How Many Times” is a track that further falls into the sea of similar sounding tracks. There is a little bit more of a rock sound, but even at this extreme, Round does not get any more gritty or intense than the Donnas did during their “Gold Metal”. “Gravity Lies” is a mopey, slower song that has Round trying to blend together a more whiny sound with a twinge of pissed-off diva. The guitar/drum dynamic sounds like it comes from White Stripes session, but Round happens on a catchy melody towards the chorus that will remind listeners of Breeders.

The first track on “Slow Motion Addict” that breaks free of all of the middle of the ground approaches and middling songs has to be “Ready to Confess”. “Ready To Confess” has a spontaneous sound to it that is only further bolstered by the At The Drive-In guitars that make their home here. “Want More” backslides a bit but still has its moments; Round struggles here to make a solid album and shows weaknesses a number of times. I would say to skip “Slow Motion Addict” for the time being and see if Round comes up with anything further with subsequent albums. Chances are good that ey will fizzle out, but ey has enough talent that ey could still surprise the music world.

Top Tracks: Gravity Lies, Take The Money

Rating: 4.3/10