An emotional journey
Sc Jeannet | 11/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've discovered Barb Jungr about 3 years ago and bought most of her Linn cd's.
The other day I noticed that this cd "Bare again"
was available. It was originally released around 10 years ago.
Well I just got my copy in the post the other day
and I am stunned, this is probably one the best vocal cd I bought in years.
It is "just" piano and voice, "just" is absolutely the wrong word, what a piano and what a voice!!
There is so much honesty in her singing, some comes from the heart, some comes from the gut.
Just listening to "Me and Bobby McGee" is an exausting emotional journey, Barb gives it all and Russell Churney on piano is the perfect accomplice.
The synergy between the 2 is just phenomenal.
There is lot's of well known standards such as the beautiful song of Judy Collins "My father" Leonard Cohen "Suzanne" Brel "Sons of" etc. Including some nice originals.
I went to bed last night thinking how beautiful music can be, so this morning settling down with an espresso and putting on "Bare again" again I realised how lucky we are to have such a talented artist as Barb Jungr, she really makes our live more beautiful.
And not to forget the icing on the cake, great sound!
"A million star"
"
The heart of music
Michael J. Odonnell | Chicago, IL USA | 03/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is living in the heart of music.
Full disclosure: I've been a total fan of Barb Jungr for some time, and downloaded all her albums from Linn Records.
This one is my favorite. Mainly because of the lovely duet between singer and piano.
The rest is just Barb Jungr again, and that's fine by me. Voice precise, just harsh enough to carry a bit of pain. The most sophisticated lyrics come out like wine poured into crystal. I understand what they say, and she sings like she understands what they mean.
I even like the ones I don't like. "My Father" is way too sentimental. Sentimentality is such a cheap shot. My father was a top civil servant, not a miner, and I live in Chicago, not Paris. I cried anyway. (I think Ms. Jungr owes me at least one Chicago show now---to hell with all those shows in the peripheral state of New York.)
Listened through once, started writing this review while playing it again.
So, listen to it.
"
Sultry Soulstress Sings Sexy Songs
Brian Ball | Oakland, CA USA | 06/24/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"With the reissue of her debut solo album, Bare Again, Barb Jungr delivers a powerful yet vulnerable display of true human emotions that anyone who has experienced love and loss can connect with on a highly personal level. The wave of psychological ups and downs that flow throughout the album provide a unique contrast of provocatively optimistic and regretfully reminiscent feelings that are complimented greatly by her sultry vocal style.
Barb combines influences from Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin to create a solid sound that bleeds together the borders between Jazz, R&B, and Soul. The beginning of the album starts off in a rather laid back, somewhat melancholy feel, with the sad drawl of "Au Depart" leaving the listener yearning for past lost love.
The bittersweet sensation evoked by the gloomy nostalgia of the above mentioned track is quickly dissolved by the following song, "Me and Bobby McGee," which sets a more jovial mood as she cheerfully reflects on good times and good feelings, singing, "feeling good was good enough for me!" She uses this track to really let loose and show what her pipes are capable of in a goosebump-inducing display of vocal power, demonstrating how she will make your heart melt with woe then turn around and knock you out of your seat with her bellowing, soul-saturated voice.
On "What a Waste," Barb switches on the soul with a display of her wide vocal range and a honky-tonk, Aretha Frankin-esque attitude. The song is a powerful, uplifting boogie-woogie ode to all the paths that she could have taken with her life, but she makes it clear that her choice to become a musician has been the best choice she has ever made. "What a Waste" is a good representation of the sentiment of many of the songs on the album: they might sound a little downhearted, but the overall message is that you should be happy with what you've got, and dwelling too much on the negative aspects of past life events is just not worth it.
Her vocals are composed of the perfect balance between a soft, breathy, seductive wooing and a strong, cigarette-hardened tour-de-force. Whether she is softly serenading or showing off her mighty vocal strength, Barb's wavering vibrato is sure to send a tingle down the spine of anyone who is within listening distance of the stereo speaker. Her music crosses the boundaries of so many genres that avid fans of Jazz, Blues, R&B and even Soul will be able to appreciate her virtuosic vocal abilities.
--written by Jacob Gross as Brian Ball's Intern (C)2008
"
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1