Reviews

Thanks to Branimer & Dragutin in Bosnia & Herzagovina for review, we are told it's very favourable!!!!!

"The debut album released in 2006 is a really pleasant work. Well played, produced and arranged. Try to think of a rounded off version of iona a softer version(less guitar) of both "karnataka and mostly autumn" then add "camel" tastes and some pop attitudes. the result more or less KARA'S music rated 70/100 abridged."

The Dutch Progressive Rock Page

http://www.dprp.net/reviews/200641.php#kara say "this will certainly appeal to people that already like the folk/rock genre"

Seaoftranquility.com

Another good review of the album! http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=4025

"given their commitment and song writing skills, they certainly deserve to be heard and more widely promoted. This is well rounded and very pleasing stuff. Well done!"

proggnosis.com

http://www.proggnosis.com/ provide a good review of our album.

"A very nice album of symphonic prog with a hint of celtic, at least in some of the tracks. Because of the female lead vocals, Renaissance can come to mind while listening to Kara.

Music wise, this is a very interesting album. All the compositions are quite good and even though the mood is more on the mellow side, the musicianship is at a very high level. This is even more in evidence in the instrumental tracks or sections of the album. All the nine tracks are very well written. To summarise, Kara is a strong album by a promising band. Check out their music samples, you may want to hear more."

Musical Discoveries

Our thanks to Musical Discovery for their complimentary review on 12th March 2006.

"Though the band is based in the South East of England, Kirsta is a Scot, which gives the band a Celtic feel that will certainly appeal to fans of Iona, Clannad, Karnataka and Mostly Autumn. Atmospheric keyboards, recorder and flute compliment Kirsta's clear, folky vocals and Steve Barfoot's sturdy percussion. However, the most impressive aspect of the bands’ sound is the superb, fluid guitar playing of Colin Mold, which certainly reminded us of the virtuosity of Dave Bainbridge of Iona and Paul Davies of Karnataka on this, the bands self-titled debut effort (The Kara Album, Homeland Records (UK) HR01, 2005)."

"the band are such a promising find, and the album so well structured and composed"

Read the full article on http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/digest/digest.php?a=viewr&id=673

classic rock society magazine

May/June 2006 by Steve Mourton

"this is an excellent album, all the members are multi instrumentalists, and of the 9 tracks on the cd there really is not a weak one among them. As a musical reference, think early mostly autumn with their celtic influence but without the longer epic tracks the majority of these pieces are between 3 and 6 minutes long. This is however an excellent debut album and i hope they will have the confidence to develop some of their songs on their next album. which would have changed this from a very good album into a great one and make them a crs favourite. (abridged)"

Metal Hammer Magazine

March 2006 "Poland" by Artur Chachlowski

"Kara - are a very nice friendly 3 piece band, who love to play a beautiful calm, quite celtic rock with a bit of progressive rock with an atmosphere close to clannad, enya, or steeleye span's records."

Kevin Rowland

"Kara are a three piece, and this is their debut release. Colin Mold provides guitars, keyboards and vocals, Kirsta Johnson takes care of lead vocals, recorders, flute and keyboards while Steve Barfoot provides drums and vocals. They have played with Magenta in the past. But really the only similarity between the two bands is that they have female singers who approach music in the melodic and clearly defined manner, because while Magenta are far more bombastic and overtly proggy due to the influences of Rob Reed, here the music is being approached from a far more simplistic and even folky arena. It is interesting to note that the one 'cover', is an arrangement of the traditional song "She Moves Through The Fair". The music is far more minimalist, evoking atmosphere and emotion, and the first part of "Eye Of The Great God" always makes me think of a cliff top looking over the sea and islands. But it isn't all laid back and whimsical, there is some serious Gilmore style guitar and while Kara could never overtly be called a rock band this is an album that is certainly interesting. They may find themselves a bit split between two camps as there are times when they are not proggy enough for that crowd, and too rocky for the folk crowd, but if you appreciate both styles or even just good music then you ought to find more from their web site at www.kara-music.co.uk"

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