Mama Kin - Beat and Holler

23 August 2010 by Tess Morro

Mama Kin is the stage name of Australian singer-songwriter Danielle Caruana.  And from her family of birth, to her current marriage to Roots musician John Butler, Caruana has always been fated to be part of a big, musical family.  Her brother, Michael Caruana plays some great Havana-style piano and keyboards on the album and her daughter Banjo makes an appearance.

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It’s been five years since Danielle Caruana and John Butler co-founded  the JB Seed grant foundation which has provided grassroots funding to countless Australian independent musicians and community initiatives in music.  And so it’s about time that Caruana, henceforth known as Mama Kin, get out and stomp out some music of her own.

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 the year, so far.  But the year is still young.   Don’t miss the video clip of To My Table, filmed entirely on Mama Kin’s kitchen table.  And, by the way, that irresistible percussion is Michael Caruana tapping a whiskey bottle with the bottle opener.  Thank you, Michael, for not being a drum machine.

On It’s for Me Mama Kin’s young daughter Banjo Caruana-Butler, sings backing vocals, and others play instruments including, but not limited to, the glass baking dish, the saucepan lid, and the outdoor chair.  The chorus has echoes of Maltese folk music.  It is, as jazz great Duke Ellington used to describe his favourite music, “beyond category”.

Yes folks, I am highly recommending this album on which there is an eight year old girl singing, and a grown woman playing a shovel.  Listen with your mind open, and you’ll find twelve good reasons why you should treat this Mama (Kin) with respect!

Mama Kin is currently touring with “The Cat Empire” through September 12th, and can be heard on the soundtrack of the  documentary film “Our  Generation”, which premiered on Monday in Darwin.

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