Customer Reviews

Kina

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This cd truly transcends all the boundries in todays music. Kina is'nt afraid of being original. As a former member of the group Brownstone Kina stepped away from that sound and has really let her own true self be heard on this cd. She's got the vocal power of Tina Turner and Chaka. It's a shame the public has'nt ever completely gotten to know Kina's music. I guess a black woman who can rock is just not on todays menu, but for all of us fans she is the daily special. (Smile)

Too many talented people are so overlooked in todays music industry and I'm sick of it. When will it end. Come on industry people we're not all 10-15 year olds who idolize former disney channel kids....

Ooh and also the hidden track at the end of the cd is one of the most haunting and powerful songs I have heard in such a long time. Kina's got it!!!!!

If you enjoy music from the likes of Alanis Morissette, Meshell Ndegeocello, and even Sinead O'Connor, you will definitely enjoy Kina! Her style has elements from each of the artist I mentioned above. You may have heard people use the phrase "Female Angst" when Alanis Morissette released "Jagged Little Pill." I have a feeling that Kina will probably be plastered with a similar label. I bought the CD without having heard any of the tracks on it. I enjoyed her voice when she was with Brownstone a few years ago - a group whose style I liked very much - and I was very curious to hear what Kina had to offer solo. I did not really know what to expect as I opened up the CD package. After listening to the CD the first time, I found it to be just about average. However, after listening to it over and over again, I really started to enjoy what I was hearing, and, as a matter of fact, I could not stop listening to it, especially the opening track, "Girl From The Gutter," a very intense ride to start things off with. Kina's powerful voice reminds me a little of Tina Turner. She definitely has a slightly hoarse sound to her vocal tones, and she shows that she certainly has some range. There are some really good songs on the CD, songs that you will probably want to listen to over and over and over again, because they are that intense. It's not R&B, it's not POP, it's not Rock, it's not Hip-Hop, etc, etc, etc. Kina is a solid mix of a variety of music styles. I recommend this CD to those that are seeking something a little different, and something powerful and meaningful to listen to, something that will move you from beginning to end, one way or another.

"Girl From The Gutter" starts playing and you just freeze as you listen to the lyrics. As I listened, it made me wonder if her time spent with Brownstone was as bad as the song implies. Yikes. Still, it is one of those songs that grabbed me and twisted even as I gasped for breath. I was expecting the rest of the album to have the R&B flare of Brownstone, but I must admit that I am more satisfied with the was it is instead of how it may have been. Kina rocks out on the collection of songs, and while critics declared that she had nothing new to say... I beg to differ. "Have A Cry" is an eye opening song and it makes you realize that not everyone can be healed with kind words or other peoples posative energy. "Give and Take" is such a soft, sweet sounding song and I never thought I'd say that about a song that has the line,"go and get me a rose, I'll go and get you a beer", but it is true. The romantic vibe is strong with that song. My favorite track on the album would have to be "Me" because it is one of the most posative self appreciating anthems that I have ever heard, and it is a song that should be listened to by any teenager who is battleing issues with self esteem. All in all... Kina has put out a wonderful album and I eagerly await her next one!

This disk probably won't be on any critics "Best of..." list this year but Kina is an artist that shows a lot of promise.

I first read about her in a very short magazine piece a few months ago and since then she's popped up on the occassional talk show.

Kina isn't an artist that can be easily put into a box. She has a beautiful voice that many have compared to Tina Turner's. Like Turner, Kina's music has a pop/rock edge to it that virtually guaranatees that she'll get little airplay on "Black" radio stations and zero airplay on those same "White" stations that can't get enough of Eminem.

The CD's breakthrough single "Girl From the Gutter" is also it's finest, showcasing the best of Kina's voice. The CD is full of the same power ballads ("I Love You") and toe tappers that are so popular these days with a few surprising singles like the egotistcal "ME" thrown in for flavor.

Lyrically, Kina has a long way to go, sometimes she comes across a little too bitter from her days as a backup singer and girl group hanger while other times her words are just plain silly.

That being said, the disk is still enjoyable. Think more Sheryl Crow than Whitney Houston. If you get a chance to see her live, go for it!

every so often i'll go online and submit a search looking for Kina. i think the industry is unusually harsh on most talented vocalists and musicians alike. moreso than commenting on how much i love her debut album ( i play it so much and never tire of it)what bothers me is her absence. will she put out another cd? i hope we hear from her again. i shudder when i think of how many artists we are deprived of due to marketing, fickle sales and competition.

its daunting to know you can be extremely talented and never get noticed. damn shame really.

kina is a versatile artist who could sing anything her heart desired and still send goose bumps down your spine. "still here" makes me cry sometimes, love that song. "girl from the gutter", what more can i say, "have a cry" is poignant and so true sometimes, expressing what we all feel in a world that expects us to immediately pick ourselves up after chummy advice, even when people do mean well. some people criticize some of the subject matter as tiring, c'mon, people will always write, sing, paint, sculpt and sketch these subjects...so universal and timeless.

all i wanna know is...kina where are u?

I originally brought this CD back in 2000 and decided to replace it with a new one, years of playing constantly can take a toll but I was surprised, shocked to see that this great CD was selling for less than a dollar. This was probably one of the most underrated CD's that has come out. Its lack of real mainstream success just validates the point that if your music cannot be easily categorized or pigeon holed it doesn't do well. Even though Kina is a BEAUTIFUL black female with a GREAT voice it just reminds me that even if Jimi Hendrix was alive today he would get no airplay on "black radio". You would hear a Justin Timberlake song on urban radio before you would hear this. The CD has highs and lows like many musical endeavors but the project OVERALL is very good!

Kina to me, just my opinion, falls in the unfortunate category of having too much talent, musical diversity and so many musical inspirations. Her music will challenge your perceptions of what Rock or R&B is supposed to look or sound like. When in her video she credits listening to everything from Led Zeppelin to Jean-Luc Ponty I knew this was going to be a special CD that would not get much airplay. People like her and Dionne Farris, Family Stand (Education of Jamie) just to name a few, have so many musical facets that some may mistakenly think their music is all over the place. Its not rock, its not soul, its not neo-classical-mid1970R&B, or whatever they are calling it this year. Instead what it is, is just a collection of very good songs sung by an extremely talented woman with a great sounding band, look ma real instruments, behind her. I just wish that she could find a way to release a new CD. Talent like hers is rare these days and people are starving for it..... Welcome Back Anita.

This CD continues to kick my butt every time I listen to it. I've had it since the summer of '00 and from the first single "Girl From the Gutter" I was hooked. The CD was and is completely underated in my opinion, but not suprising. Had I not turned so many of my friends on to this CD, they would have never heard it. Shame on the music industry for pumping out track after track of digitized, morphed, and obscured Britney Spears meanlingless ya-ya, when they have a truely talented songbird going unnoticed. Along with Sarah McLachlan's "Fumbling Toward Ecstasy" and Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill", this is a must have for anyone passionate to learn more about the world of pain, lust, and redemption. You're missing out if you pass this one up. And by the way...does ANYONE know when she's recording a follow up?

Kina was a member of the US R&B band Brownstone and she has finally split into a solo career. This album is the story of the under dog making her way back regardless of what is holding her down. The album is a melodic mix of pop/rock/soul and R&B. The opening single is jam packed with brooding lyrics of betrayal "You're gonna pay for the things you put me through" its rapped in a sweet pop dynamic that will attract listeners. The stand out tracks are "Give And Take", "Girl From The Gutter", "Insanity" and "Me". Kina's voice is powerful and if pushed to a similiarity -it is like a more melodic Skunk Anansie. As she sings in "Me" let "all negative forces fade". This is a strong and powerful debut and it feels good and fine.

Yes I do. It's a darn shame it was so overlooked in the summer of 2000. If you recall, that was the summer of Britney, Backstreet, and NSYNC. This never stood a chance on the radio. Yeah, I bought all those cds too, but guess which one I still listen to? This one. This cd rocks. She starts off with 2 strong numbers "Girl from the Gutter" and "I Love You". I love the message of the first one, and who can't relate to it.I love the chorus "I hope your hell is filled with magazines, and on every page you see a big picture of me, and underneath the picutre the
caption should read...not bad for a girl from the gutter like me". Those words just kill me. It makes me feel so empowered just listening to it. "I Love You" is such a ho hum title, you might not expect it to be so hard rocking, but it is. "Give and Take" is a simple acoustic number with Kina alternating lines with herself in the chorus. Beautiful arrangement. "ME" and "You Don't Know Me" also are strong rockers. The latter has a similar message as "...Gutter" and a chorus you can't help but sing along to. "Have a Cry" is another song with a wonderful melody and arrangement. I love the message...don't try to cheer me up..just let me wallow in my own misery for a while. Anyway..don't pay attention to Amazon.com's review of this, just buy it. You won't be sorry.

Many a time you hear about vocal artists trying to reach a cross population of the world with their gift. This is truly an example of African-Americans be represented by many hues and tastes. Kina, rock&soul influences are so evident in this project that I wish she would of put more on the CD but the best is yet to come. When you Cross pollinate Patti Labelle, Tina Turner and Etta James you produce KINA! Kina should recieve the same accolades as Lauren Hill but that remains to be seen. I enjoy the adult lyrics, the voice and delivery. Many a times it is hard to capture big female voices on a cd. Kina welcome aboard, and finally the record industry is becoming creative. Look no longer folks KINA is here to stay. This woman is not cookie cutter Mariah, Whitney or anyone else this originality at its' best. Rock!