Mama Kin’s new CD, Beat and Holler, has a great, organic sound that makes you feel as if she is right in the room with you. It’s Latin and funk stylings are no surprise from a girl that was weaned on Aretha Franklin and Joan Armatrading both of whom, like Mama Kin, are fearless singers, not afraid to empty their heart and soul into a note.

On the title track Beat and Holler, Mama Kin sings backed by only short, sharp hand percussion. In this age of Auto-Tune®, Mama Kin’s naked human voice is a wonderfully radical thing. You Tore My Heart Out tells a familiar story, but Mama Kin’s wry jazz delivery seems not to take the heartbreak to heart. To My Table, with its infectious Afro-Cuban rhythms and a bass vamp that smoulders like the Buena Vista Social Club in session, is my pick for the song of…

It’s a rare treat when you come across a singer whose voice alone is affecting. Danielle Caruana , aka Mama Kin, is one such singer. Her debut album ‘Beat and Holler’ grabs your attention from the very beginning with her smoky, seductive vocals. Drawing inspiration from her experiences in her lyrics, she has created some really wonderfully depressing songs such as ‘Tore My Heart Out’. Only a couple of tracks slow down the overall pace, but they don’t take anything away from this beautiful repertoire. ‘Beat and Holler’ is an exciting introduction to this talented songstress.

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Mama Kin’s debut album Beat and Holler is surprisingly likeable. Knowing nothing about Mama Kin, except that she married Australia’s John Butler and had helped him with the Seed Fund, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What a welcome relief to listen and be captivated from the first track Love’s Not So Great. Mama Kin’s voice has a distinctive style – one that is equal parts fragile and vulnerable, as it is resonant and rich. A live band backs Mama Kin on each track. One of the key musicians in the band is her brother Michael who plays keys like a motherfarker (Wurlitzer, Nord, Hammond B3, you name it, dude plays it!). The lead single Tore My Heart Out has been making industry waves and is brutally honest and seductive. Check her out if you’re into rootsy blues and folk – Mama Kin may just be your (herbal) cup of…

“Caruana is a stand up rock solid musician…this is a woman with talent.” – Rhythms

“a fantastic record, a delicious hotpot of soulful grooves, seductive melodies, stomping percussive beats and classic old-world instrumentation” – The Herald-Sun

“this year’s next big thing” – Sarah Howells, Triple J Roots N’All

Mornings with Fiona Parker – Album of the Week July 12 – 16

Stong, sassy, raw.  Just a few words to describe the music of Mama Kin…but you could also use groovy, soulful, funky and heartfelt.

Mama Kin is Danielle Caruana and her brother Michael.  Talented family – their other brother is drummer Nicky Bomba who recently joined the John Butler Trio.  Oh, and Danielle is married to John Butler…as mentioned, a very talented family!

Released this month, ‘Beat and Holler’ is Mama Kin’s debut album but they’ve performed live at many venues and festivals, and there was an EP called ‘Papoose’ released in 2008.

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Louise Radcliffe-Smith – 3 Stars
It’s taken a while for Mama Kin, aka Danielle Caruana, to get over her famous connections (brother Nicky Bomba, husband John Butler of the Trio) and step out with her own creation. She needn’t have worried about sounding derivative. Her debut album , Beat and Holler, is strongly individual – a kind of swampy soul, pop, constructed around piano, bass and a truly impressive array of jungly percussion instruments (note the shovel on It’s For Me and Brother Michael on Jameson’s whiskey bottle in To My Table). Varied in feel and tempo, with heart-baringly honest lyrics, this is a piano lover’s dream. Key track For danceability, Love’s Not So Great; for a quiet winter afternoon, Your Colour, accompanied by gentle keys and the sound of Fremantle rain

The lyrical pace of ‘Beat and Holler’ from Mama Kin aka Danielle Caruana  draws on personal experiences and relationships- like her many female singer/songwriter contemporaries, with an honest narrative. Supported by her big brother Michael on the rhythm section you can hear they are both big fans of Doctor John, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

The first single ‘Tore My Heart Out’, is a fine piano ballad showcasing soulful vocal range and raw hurt in such a manner that first time listeners can respond to. ‘I’m Gonna Do It’ – calls on a Fiona Apple power beat which you can dance to. The current single ‘To My Table’- keeps on giving with a Jazzy beat line and just has a sense of fun. Listening to the whole album is a sonic feast. However even though I appreciate the story behind the ballad, ‘Bitter Tears’ I find it…