Kara Grainger - Shiver & Sigh (2013)

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Kara Grainger - Shiver & Sigh (2013)

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She plays slide guitar and sings soulfully, so comparisons to Bonnie Raitt are perhaps inevitable for Kara Grainger and, truth be told, they do hold some water; they share a common vernacular and some interests, grounded heavily in the blues but reaching beyond that into R&B, soul, and rock, and they're both skilled interpreters as well as accomplished songwriters. Nevertheless, a quick listen to Shiver & Sigh, Grainger's second album, will reveal the differences. Grainger isn't as flashy a guitarist as Raitt and, more importantly, she's prefers a groove that's nearly as sultry and supple as her voice. This is music that doesn't scream; it insinuates, slowly building to a boil. Grainger lays back, both as a singer and guitarist, and that restraint is alluring, as it slyly commands attention. Grainger wrote a good chunk of the album, punctuating the originals with covers of Robert Johnson's classic "Come on in My Kitchen" and Al Jackson's "Breaking Up Somebody's Home," along with several other versions of newly written soul-blues songs, and the whole thing feels of a piece: it's all slow-burning soul-blues. Grainger doesn't indulge herself – her leads are clean and efficient, her singing never burdened with excess grace notes – and that's why Shiver & Sigh elicits the responses of the title: everything is delivered just right, so it's easy to succumb to its cool sensuality.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

With her third release, Shiver and Sigh, singer/songwriter/guitarist Kara Grainger has put together a project that captures her original sound, which is a combination of blues, soul, folk, rock, and roots music. Working with producer David Z, the project is very clean, and quite impressive, but at times loses its fantastic organic nature to a venial sin of overproduction.

Grainger has a fascinating story: an Australian native living out of a van and touring the beach towns of Australia moves to LA as a solo artist and impresses crowds while opening for the likes of Peter Frampton, Heart, and Buddy Guy. Indeed, Grainger’s unique story certainly explains her unique sound. She is not afraid to go after a more contemporary, pop type of sound, but her background is clearly the blues. Throw in some rock ‘n’ roll, and carefree beach tunes and Grainger is anything but mainstream.

Grainger has a nice voice, brimming with soul that shines throughout the album. Her guitar playing is pleasant: she never plays too much, but always plays tastefully, and she gets a great sound out of her slide. She’s also assembled a top-notch band and the product stands out as distinctly professional, in the midst of a digital age full of amateur, self-produced artists. After a nice opener in “Little Pack of Lies,” one hears the true Kara Grainger sound with “Lost in You,” gentle lines that pour forth like waves on an evening beach, a voice overflowing with soul, and a tight, crisp band anchoring it all. “I’m Not Ready” is another similar tune, but is a little closer to a more traditional blues sound. “Holding Out for Love” is slightly reminiscent of a Santana-type of tune, particularly with regards to Grainger’s guitar tone. Grainger excels with the two traditional blues tracks on the album: “C’Mon in My Kitchen” and “Overdue for the Blues.”

The only fault with the album is that the production sometimes ignores the organic feel of Grainger’s music, which is what makes her a great artist in the first place. “Shiver & Sigh” would be a really nice tune if it was not as overproduced. Similarly, “You’re the One” is a cool funk tune, but it doesn’t quite sound like Grainger’s style, though her performance is far from bad. In all, Kara Grainger has a wonderful, unique sound, even if it is sometimes masked by a few nifty LA production tricks.

Review by Nik Rodewald, BluesRockReview.com

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Kara Grainger - Shiver & Sigh (2013)

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Kara Grainger - Shiver & Sigh (2013)

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Kara Grainger - Shiver & Sigh (2013)

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