07/06/2011 | Carina Round – Dingwalls, Camden

Tonight is one of two UK performances to mark the 10 year anniversary and vinyl reissue Carina’s first album, The First Blood Mystery. Musically speaking, she has a lot going on:  as well as the reissue, she has a new album in the pipeline, and her side project Early Winters released their debut EP in March.  Carina is a force to be reckoned with and the show did not disappoint.  She has a unique stage presence and was enjoying herself, treating us to new songs from her forthcoming album as well as some older favourites.

Having been living in the US for the past few years, Carina seemed genuinely happy to be back playing to a home crowd, despite her complaints about the weather (“I haven’t seen rain in 5 years!”).  Carina is one of those artists it is truly worth seeing live, due to the energy and passion she puts into performing. The new songs she played, including Girl & The Ghost and Pick Up The Phone, have a certain magic and intensity, promising good things for the new album.  Other highlights were the ethereal Backseat, from the Things You Should Know EP, and crowd pleasers Come To You and Into My Blood.

However, the jaw-dropping, stand-out moments were two songs from The First Blood Mystery.  Carina performed Let It Fall on her own, and it was absolutely fantastic.  Her forceful guitar-playing and raw, visceral vocal were captivating, spitting out lyrics such as “I am knee deep in your blood and you are knee deep in mine.” When she returned for the encore to play On Leaving, I was completely converted to being a Carina Round fan.

www.carinaround.com