* En anglais uniquement
Australian-born blues singer/guitarist
Kara Grainger may draw initial comparisons to
Bonnie Raitt -- both play slide guitar and sing soulfully -- but she bears her own distinctive style, one that evenly balances the blues with soul and roots rock, something that can be heard on her solo albums as well as the music she made with her brother as part of two different bands -- Papa Lips and
Grainger.
The Sydney blues band Papa Lips, which also featured her brother Mitch on harmonica, was the first professional outfit for
Kara Grainger. During the late '90s, Papa Lips toured the east coast of Australia with regularity and their two albums, Harmony and High Time Now, garnered some acclaim. The band changed their name to
Grainger in 2000 and released an EP, then
Kara received an opportunity to play guitar with
Cold Chisel's Steve Prestwich. This, along with a spot on television, helped elevate her profile and soon she started pursuing a solo career, first releasing an EP called Secret Soul, then following up with the full-length
Grand and Green River in 2008. In 2013, she released
Shiver & Sigh. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine