Cara Robinson

Cara is one of those behind the scenes lassies who has worked with the likes of David Holmes, Rhianna and Corinne Bailey Rae, with the latter recording a cover of 'No Love Child', one of the many delightful tracks to be found on this album.

Cara has written and produced all the songs, along with keyboard fella Joe Tatten, and it's mightily impressive for a debut album. A lot of the material sits in that centrepoint where blues, soul and jazz all merge together, with a smidgeon of funky, acid jazz keyboard flourishes dippin gin and out, hither and thither.

The arrangements and performance belie it's status as a debut, hitting heights of professionalism which just shows how much attention Cara was paying during her stints in the studio, singing other peoples songs.

The tempo rarely stirs itself beyond sedentary, but with a set of impressive songs and an easy to listen to voice, it's a treat from start to finish. You could stick a pin in anywhere and come up with a cracking tune but the winners round my way were 'Sure Come Over', 'Sun' and 'Gimme This Life', songs that serve up something new every time you go back for another listen.


Stuart A Hamilton, Zeitgeist, PO Box 13499, Edinburgh EH6 8YL, UK
http://www.zeitgeist-scot.co.uk/
- Stuart A Hamilton

Close your eyes for just a second and imagine a world where the Crazy Frog is merely a jingoistic Sun headline and where Dido-lite chancers are banished to the bargain bin for eternity. Imagine that John Lennon is still alive and that your newest musical discovery, Cara, is perched at the top of the charts, her woozy, technicolor voice and blues infused stomp soundtracking your lazy, hazy days.

Imagination aside, with "Keeper Lit", Irish lilt-stress Cara has produced a glorious affirmation of live, love and music. Opener "Liftin me softly" is the best song Carole King never wrote, its gently insistent tones rattling around your skull for days. Elsewhere, the breezy West coast pop of "Carry me away" grows into a majestic swoop of strings and wacca-wacca guitar, made all the sweeter by Cara's honey coated vocals.

It's all so infectious and sun drenched that it feels tailor-made for summer, long days with nothing but sultry daydreams to occupy you. It's wonderfully varied too, from the jazztastic piano of "You're saved" to the Zero 7 comedown carnival of "SUN," with every track united by her hypnotic, soulful croon. Best however is "Ivy Green," its rock star sheen and jilted lover cool lending the album real balls. The behemoth bass rumbles menacingly while Valium high vocals gather momentum turning the track into a Donnington sized rock'n'roller.

While she won't make society's shortcomings disappear in the blink of an eye (that's Bono's job), this album will turn your world into a sun-strewn haven for 50 minutes. All you need to do is close your eyes.
- Andy Buchan

A regular face on Leeds's soul/jazz scene, Cara Robinson has built up an
>impressive C.V as a vocalist despite her tender years. Recordings by David
>Holmes, LTJ Bukem, Rhianna, and Corinne Bailey Rae have all featured Cara's
>soulful and versatile voice, and she has recently finished her Debut Album,
>'Keeper Lit' which breaks out from the familiar soul/covers routine of many
>of her contemporaries, reflecting her Northern Irish roots with a folk
>twist and a good helping of the blues added to many of her original songs.
>Drifting
>from moody Portishead - Esque musings to upfront, powerful vocal delivery
>styles, Cara's lyrics deal with both personal and universal issues. Her
>album is co - produced with Keyboard and Guitar Maestro Joe Tatton, and the
>band often returns to the Rhodes based funk groves setting that we so often
>see him in bands such as Capri and Jacuzzi 500. A live, organic, but still
>super - tight feeling to her band has been honed over years of gigging, and
>is well featured on 'Keeper Lit'.
- Dominic Dwight