by Joe Mis
– Sr. Columnist —
Hear The Sound is the second solo release from German-born singer/songwriter Cathrine Jauer. Once better known as the vocalist and bassist for the rock-pop band First Child, Jauer has come into her own as a solo artist and once again delivers a tight and upbeat Rock /Pop album with tunes that run from acoustic ballads to Blues-rock. This mostly acoustic gem is a throwback to when music was simple and pure, and artists performed for the love of music instead of corporate profits.
Cathrine Jauer’s music style is heavily influenced by Classic Rock, listing Jimi Hendrix, Rainbow, and Led Zeppelin among her favorites. After starting on the keyboards and vocals, she soon expanded to guitar and bass – becoming an all around musician in the fullest sense. She teamed up with songwriter Mary Susan Applegate and became the bass player and lead vocalist for the band First Child, releasing two well-received CDs (Souvenirs and Queen Of Hearts). Cathrine has continued her musical partnership with Applegate and producer Roger Wahlmann, resulting is a wonderful debut solo release (When I Sing) and a worthy follow up.
Jauer proves herself to be a complete package – she plays all instruments on her album with the exception of a single slide guitar solo on one track (contributed by Frank Bossert). Her voice is ideal for her chosen Blues-rock style, and she delivers strong and emotional performances throughout. Her vocal range is not as massive as some of today’s performers, but she uses her voice well, never pushing or over-singing – and no listener could miss the passion in her delivery.
Cathrine does a nice job on the guitar and vocals on upbeat pop-rock tracks like “Dance With Me” (a toe-tapper for sure) and proves herself a very capable drummer and bassist on the mid-tempo “Hear The Sound” (and also does a great job on vocals). Her lyrical subject matter ranges from positive (“Vive La Liberte,” “Stars”) to reflective commentary (“Take Me to the Beach”) to introspective (“Letter to Myself”, “Last Day”) to serious and moody (“When Someone Dies”). She also delivers two tracks in her native German (the smokin’ blues “Eis” and slow rocker “Was Wollen Wir Mehr”), so for those of us who do not speak the language they are opportunities to focus purely on the flow, rhythm, and overall musicality.
Jauer’s talents as a singer, songwriter and storyteller are obvious, and the warm mix and simple arrangements highlight her abilities. Hear The Sound is sure to please any fan of Blues-rock. Her music seems to be a fully natural expression of her personality and is clear, warm, and straightforward.
Cathrine Jauer sings from the heart, and everyone should Hear The Sound.
Genre: Rock, Pop
Band:
Cathrine Jauer (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass)
Guests: Frank Bossert (slide guitar solo on “Was Wollen Wir Mehr”)
Track Listing:
1. Dance With Me
2. Eis
3. Hear The Sound
4. Letter To Myself
5. Stars
6. Vive La Liberte
7. Was Wollen Wir Mehr
8. Take Me To The Beach
9. Last Day
10. When Someone Dies
Label: Wooky Records
Website: www.cathrinejauer.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10
