Review Summary: A refreshingly original and timeless piece of music. Released about 10 years too late to catch mainstream success, The Disconnection still deserves to be placed among the leading ladies of the alt-rock boom.
The Disconnection is one of those albums you came across in a $1 bin at the record store while you were in high school. Flipping through album after album, you come across a cover that stands out, but you can't really put your finger on why. Maybe it's the simple black and white color scheme. Or maybe it's her name, Carina Round, which sounds like subtle word play on the phrase "careen around". Perhaps it's her face (distorted or otherwise)? Regardless, you decide it's probably the best choice of the lot and head out.
Enter Ms. Carina Round. A relatively unknown singer-songwriter from Wolverhampton, England, she immediately grabs the listener's attention with her most unique attribute: her voice. It's seriously
addicting. Clean, honest, and full of emotion, it’s impossible not to sympathize as she croons her way through each song. She moves effortlessly between angry, assertive deliveries that send chills down the spine, to a softer, more vulnerable style that’s subtly arousing. She is a master of dynamics; manipulating the energy within each track seems second nature to her. In terms of production, the album possesses a comfortable dynamic range and lots of headroom. The instruments are a bit subdued as to not overtake Carina’s vocals, yet retain lots of embellishments that are more supplemental than attention-grabbing. One of the most audibly pleasing pieces of music I’ve had the pleasure of laying my ears on.
The opening track, "Shoot", quickly demonstrates her ability to convey her emotions through dynamic singing and a colorful vocabulary. Beginning with a simple rock beat, then a bit of bluesy guitar work, the song builds in emotion and energy until erupting into an all out distorted jam session. While this is a fairly solid way to start, it's almost like she
really intended it to act as a deterrent to folks who draw their conclusions prematurely. A quick Google search of her name will almost assuredly bring up comparisons between her and PJ Harvey. And while PJ's influence is initially a bit obvious, it quickly fades as the album diversifies and morphs into something totally unique. But with persistence comes reward, as the second song, "Into My Blood", is an exhilarating gateway into her fiery and tumultuous mind, with lots of hard hitting power chords and references to her (metaphorically or otherwise) drug of choice. Well-executed verses lead to a wordless chorus that
drips with euphoria. This is, without a doubt, a phenomenal track. The kind of thing you'd show a friend as a solid first impression of Carina, and a great way to bring in the rest of the album.
As the album progresses, she continues to blend different genres and styles with her diverse influences, and does so without ever losing focus. While the first couple of tracks are fairly straight forward rock-and-roll, "Paris" brings catchy pop melodies to the fold, and "Monument" provides contrast with a sound that's based in the blues. The overall diversity of the album is astonishing. Things never become convoluted, and each song is definitively Carina. Her sound has been fully realized; something most artists can only aspire to accomplish on their sophomore effort. The last two tracks, “Sit Tight” and “Elegy”, are the reason for making it through the whole album. They’re impactful, and culminate into something far greater than she could have possibly imagined.
Carina’s magnum opus, this album manages to keep me coming back again and again, year after year. Regardless of your preferences, you’d be doing yourself a favor by picking this one up. Trust me.
Recommended Tracks:
Into My Blood
Lacuna
Monument
Sit Tight
Elegy
Thanks
