Search - Karnataka :: Strange Behaviour Live

A very enjoyable farewell cd for this version of the band.

Squire Jaco | Buffalo, NY USA | 02/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, "Strange Behavior" is the final album from this lineup of Karnataka, and departing lead vocalist Rachel Jones is probably the best reason for you to grab this "live anthology" of the band before she and others left.



They perform all of the songs (except "One Breath Away") from their last studio album "Delicate Flame of Desire", as well as many more selections from their other two albums. There are even a couple of "hidden track" songs tacked onto the last track "Out of Reach", which appear to be previously unreleased songs. With 134 minutes of music here, and a nice cd sleeve with photos of all the band members in concert, you really get your money's worth (assuming you can find it selling in the $20.00 range!).



If you're a newcomer to this band from Wales, Karnataka's music is sort of a cross between progressive rock and classic rock, with some Celtic/folk influences. They probably share the closest similarities with Mostly Autumn, except the vocals are all female. But you'll also find references to Hogarth-era Marillion, Genesis, Enya and some Renaissance. While their songs are mostly in the 5-7 minute range, they successfully weave romantic themes with lush, hypnotic atmospheres and catchy melodies.



The sound production on this live album is really great. Jones' fine vocals are harmonized sweetly with the voice of Anne-Marie Helder (who also plays flute). The standout instrumentalist in these performances has to be Paul Davies whose Andy Latimer/David Gilmour guitar passages really shine here on this cd - even more than on the studio albums.



This album will appeal to many lovers of music in general. There aren't any "killer" tracks that stand out and really move you, but there also aren't any "clunkers". Just a lot of good, pleasurable music of a slightly different nature. I recommend this cd as a great overview of a very entertaining band.



I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:

Music quality = 8/10; Performance = 8/10; Production = 9/10; CD length = 10/10.

Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 8.4 ("4 stars")



"

Live performance with energy

Timothy Susman | Mountain View, CA United States | 01/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm sorry that I won't get the chance to see Karnataka live, but this CD is the next best thing. Rachel Jones's voice is just as beautiful live as it is on studio tracks, and even though the band sounds very highly produced on their albums, the live songs retain all the energy and full, rich sound I loved from their album. It's likely that only fans will buy this album, but I agree with a previous review that if you want to introduce someone to the band, this excellent compilation of their best songs is a good way to do it."