Kalai (Solo Acoustic)

Rebel Hands by Kalai [- Hide]
Trever Alters, A&E Writer
CD Review
arbiteronline.com
May 06, 2004

Meet Kaniela Kaleiali’I O’kalani Kala’I, a Hawaiian born guitar and vocal artist throwing out bluesy folk deeply rooted in feeling and thought. Simply known as Kalai (pronounced “Ka-lie”), the young artist is back, getting personal history off his chest with Rebel Hands.

Kalai gained a faithful following of fans with Acoustacism and Six Strings and the Rainy Day Man produced in 2001 and 2002 with Treble V Music Company. He became known for a seemingly natural ability to write a love song to make the girls’ hearts melt while turning the ears of guys as well. But Kalai is a “Thinking Man” as a song off the new album is titled. Each lyric from past albums is witty with intentional metaphoric smart. Every song takes an intimate exploration through the naked soul of this passionate nomad.

Romantics and outcasts alike have been anticipating Rebel Hands. With the new release, there is an obvious shift away from the love songs that so many fans have held so dear. The new focus is another exploration … this time through the emotions of a young man burying bad memories and mourning family tragedies. “Tears From My War Cry” and “Lay You Down” seem to be medicinal ballads written by and for the grieving artist himself.

Kalai also reveals a new side of himself with Rebel Hands: his roots. Songs like “Shushyaz,” “The Warrior King” and “Rebel Hands” explore Hawaiian sound and myth. Although Kalai still has the feel of a singer with his six-string, the album has a variety of ethnic sounds such as world drums and bazouki (like a mandolin). Album graphics are also impressively representative of Kalai’s Hawaiian ancestry.

But Kalai’s most impressive instrument in his vast array is his voice. He sounds noticeably similar to Ben Harper to the point that you start to wonder if he is mimicking the well-known blues master. Albums before Rebel Hands had a similar sound to Harper in more ways than voice, and only on the newest album does Kalai take a step away from the mainstream. For example, Kalai uses his falsetto voice to hit strikingly high notes in almost every song. While this definitely is uncommon in modern pop music, it gets to be too much at times. Nobody wants too much of a good thing. But Kalai’s voice is full of sentiment that the listener is distinctly aware of.

While past albums have showcased Kalai’s striking musical talent, Rebel Hands brings to light his talent for deliberate songwriting and mature thought. As may be expected whenever you make a trip through an artist’s psyche, the album is somewhat dark. While former albums seem to celebrate young love, Rebel Hands deals with some serious qualms in the world.

If you have troubles finding any of Kalai’s music at local stores, you can order it from his website at www.kalai.cc or at www.cdbaby.com. Each album is worth every penny. - Trever Alters, A&E Writer

Salt Lake City Weekly
May 27,2004
http://www.slweekly.com/editorial/2004/cdrv_2004-05-27.cfm

Sounding twice his 23 years, singer-guitarist Kalai’s expressive fingerstyle chops, falsetto wail and seamless meld of Delta blues and exotic melodies either comes across like a lighter Ben Harper or Dave Matthews with a pulse. The 15-cut Rebel Hands (his third release) holds up under its hour running time, despite little deviation from voice/guitar sparseness and an overall sense of cozy dynamic restraint—guy could stand to cut loose a little more, as on the rollicking title song. (Kalai.cc) - Bill Frost

Utah Statesman
Wednesday, February 2, 2005

Kalai and Sarah Sample play their hearts out to USU fans

Concert-goers filled the Kent Concert Hall Monday night for the
long-anticipated Kalai concert.

The show began a little after 8 p.m. with local duo Hi-Fi Diaries opening.
They contributed a set full of earnest alt-rock vocals and acoustic guitar
that drew heavily from the Goo Goo Dolls. Following the performance, Hi-Fi
Diaries gave away 50 copies of their new demo CD and set the stage for an
excellent night of acoustic music.

From the way that Sarah Sample handles herself, one would think she'd been
born on the stage. Her eclectic style not only plays into the coffeehouse
tradition but shapes and redefines it. The songs played at Monday's show
would have been equally at home in a steamy jazz café or old-time saloon.

Her guitar playing shimmered as she spent the better part of the night
ambling her way through a set that included everything from the sultry
"Dancing in the Kitchen" to her newest number, "Speak Your Name," that she
described simply as "genealogical." Watching her ease on stage and deft
genre-jumping, it is hard to believe that Sample was ever the awkward,
"Ramona Quimby-esque 8-year-old" that she described to the audience.
Throughout all the stories and styles her performance held its roots in
traditional folk, thanks largely to the accompaniment of the very-talented
Stuart Maxfield who joined her on mandolin and violin.

But the undisputed highlight of the night was headliner Kalai. He came on
stage, stuck an afghan on his seat and spent the rest of the evening
transforming the Concert Hall into your best friend's living room. His set
was both anthemic and intimate, drawing the audience into his unique blend
of acoustic blues, Hawaiian influence and emotive lyrics. His songs, at once
catchy, profound and clever, benefit tremendously from his impressive vocal
range and proficiency on the guitar.

Pockets of the crowd could be heard singing along as he played favorites
such as "J Dog and the Hand" and "Down to Earth," but it was his banter
between songs that won the audience over. While moving from song to song he
spoke on the joys of being Michael Jackson

"No one is happy all of the time, except maybe Michael Jackson," he said and
pontificated on his pickle envy.

Though the set was plagued with technical difficulties and Kalai himself was
suffering from what he called a "puffy thumb," his audience struggled to
find any flaws. They had no trouble finding superlatives, though.

"It was amazing," said Brett Wood, a freshman majoring in Engineering.

"Wow" was the only word that Mary Carmen, a junior in the English
department, could find to describe the show.

During the climax of the evening, a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child,"
Kalai turned the electric rock classic into a blistering acoustic anthem
reminiscent of Ben Harper's best moments. Indeed, throughout the evening he
drew upon his influences: most obviously Ben Harper, but there were also
traces of lesser-known blues luminaries such as Brownie McGhee and Son
House. Yet, even while borrowing from those who came before, Kalai managed
to mix the musical stew into a creation all his own that ended in a night of
great music.

Zach Pendleton is a junior majoring in English and a reviews music and
concerts for the Utah Statesman. Comments may be set to him at
zpendleton@cc.usu.edu - Zach Pendelton

LA Times
July 22, 2007

Maybe you saw singer-songwriter Kalai on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last week and wondered about his hand. He gets a lot of that. "I don't mind the questions," said the 27-year-old Hawaii native raised in Alaska. A failed surgery on a hemangioma covering his left hand gave him a paw that is forever stiff and prone to pain. To strum his guitar, he wears a burn-victim glove in a bulky bandage.
So why at 14 did he pick up an instrument that put him in agony? "I was internally rebellious, rebelling against my limitations." The struggle goes well: Kalai's sound (he calls it "urban vintage") on his latest album, "Crow's Feet," is an electro-blues channeling of James Taylor or a rainy-day Ben Harper. It's his most unified work. "No one wants to pay $15 to hear a guy try and find himself on an album. I want my music to help other people fin themselves."
Geoff Boucher - Geoff Boucher

USA Weekend
July 2007
Meet Kalai, whose voice and style are as diverse as this singer. Born in Hawaii and raised in Alaska, Kalai, 27, who has released four LPs and writes every day, developed his range listening to groups such as Boyz II Men. Music hasn't always paid the bills, the avid angler recalls. "I'd tie flies and send them in to Cabela's and L.L.Bean so I could have a couple hundred bucks to take a chick out."
W - W

I must start out by saying that this artist is one of the finest singer/songwriters that I have ever had the pleasure to write about. His originality and creativity are on the same scale as the great Joni Mitchell and I have not been moved like this since the days of her early albums. And the artist that inspires me to write such bold statements is Kalai from Anchorage Alaska. I am now totally hooked on his music.

The first song that I heard from Kalai was “She” and I still am feeling the effects of being taken to another musical planet where creativity thrives. It gave me the feeling as if I was hovering over the typical and earthly A-A-B-A arrangements and being led through a different melodic world that kept inviting me to replay every song over and over. This is obviously a sign that there is a new horizon in music that is viewed from a fresh and highly artistic approach that gives you the unexpected, and security as a listener at the same time. In other words even though Kalai’s music takes you where no musical ears have gone before, it also contains elements that are very familiar. This makes a perfect musical Yin Yang balance where safety, familiarity, and creative exploration hold hands like you and your first love.

Technically speaking Kalai sings with a very personal character and tone while nailing his intervals like a master carpenter. And his guitar skills lean toward the creative and not the over technical. He obviously has a love for R+B, but there are also some folk influences in his sound. We have had that type of blend come through our publication before but none of them have had the impact of Kalai. So I personally think that it’s not just the influences that make up his music, although they are obviously part of the equation. I feel that he has chosen a balance of musical elements within his heart where he has created his own musical recipe that has his listeners standing in line for an all you can eat contest. The bottom line is that I want to hear as much of Kalai’s music that I can. And if you go to the link that I provided at the end of this article I’m sure that you will feel the same way. There is only one Kalai and he is incredible! – JJ Rocks

Please visit Kalai at this link: http://www.myspace.com/kalai


August, 2008 - JJ Rocks