Marshall Road Apocalypse by Cathy Jean

The first track is a rockin' Blues boogie and, as with all 15 tracks offered, is a Cathy Jean original composition. The proceedings continue in more subdued yet no less intense manner with a collection of songs which are beautifully crafted and delivered yet stray somewhat from the Blues idiom. Shades of Carol King weave in & out of these numbers with lyrics crafted from real-life scenarios, and that is to CJ's credit. A smooth after-dinner swing-jazz style is used here to good effect behind lyrics which go: "...I'm in the bedroom with the ugly pink shag rug. Spiders are on me the curtains are crawling with bugs. The walls cave in and I'm suffocated in mud. I'm in the kitchen by the awful custom cork bar. Blood is running out of the cracked orange cookie jar..." Hmmmm.... The overall feeling is one of being priviliged to be let into Cathy Jean's innermost thoughts and to be invited to an "under-the-skin" episode complete with a gaggle of excellent musicians. --BLUES FREE PRESS MAGAZINE, UNITED KINGDOM

What have we here? Cathy Jean decorates the cover of her latest CD wearing a short blue dress, high heels and wild hair, looking both sexy and vulnerable. It`s an unashamedly blatant act of using sex to sell a CD, and she doesn`t need to do it as she has the voice and the songs. In fact she writes all but one of the 15 tracks here herself and co-writes the other one. A number of different musical styles are in evidence, from the boogie riff rocker "Your One And Only", through the curious jazz tinged "The Kids From Glen Burnie", to the rocky "Dirty One" and the Eastern tinged sounds of "Austria". It`s Cathy Jean`s smokey voice that immediately draws you in, especially on the opening "Your One And Only" and the slow "Behind My Back". On "Kauai" she sounds more like Sheryl Crow. She has surrounded herself with top class musicians, the core of which, on guitar, bass, drums and keys know how to rock with her, like on "Call It (Quits)". So many good songs, ...check out "Prophet". A good album. --BLUES MATTERS MAGAZINE, UNITED KINGDOM

Take 2: USA - CATHY JEAN: "Marshall Road Apocalypse" Whew, we got the special edition CD at the office with 16 page booklet with 2 'edgy-'y photos included that do not appear in the copy you'll get from Amazon.com. What can we tell you beyond the above? Well here is a tortured sounding woman working off her ills and frustrations and running amok. Great CD, great music, not always Blues but the lyrics certainly are (and there are driftings towards Sheryl Crow). There's some easy listening tones here to mix with the silk, and occasionally pained, voice that sometimes hides the bitterness of the lyric which on reflection make them even more hard hitting. Yep, I'll recommend this one and will be playing it quite a lot! --BLUES MATTERS MAGAZINE, UNITED KINGDOM

Now on her third album, Baltimore-based belter Cathy Jean has the pipes (and the looks) to break out of the regional scene. Her tough, powerful, raspy voice-- similar to that of Heart's Ann Wilson-- works perfectly with the raucous barroom blues she's sung for years. But on "Marshall Road Apocalypse", the singer boldly dives into other areas in an effort to expand her range and audience. The results are interesting... Jean is a gifted vocalist and aspiring songwriter who deserves to go mainstream... --BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE, USA

Good Morning Cathy! The cover of the album, "Marshall Road Apocalypse", says to me... "I am 500% Woman and I will love you but if you cross me I'll cut your dangly bits off if you mess me about!"! Just my personal opinion you understand. Now to the album, well what can I say it conjures up all sorts of images! I love the line, "I'm a cool cat with a little kink". "YOUR ONE AND ONLY"-- has that Slim Harpo vibe going for it and is one of those instantly catchy songs that run through your head and bug the heck out of you so you have to go back and listen to it again and again!!! "THE KIDS FROM GLEN BURNIE"-- now there is one dark and scary song with some fantastic horn that would make most Jazz

punters weep with envy. I would love to have five minutes with you to find out where the lyrics for that one came from! Such a dark and moody piece, I love it. "DIRTY ONE"-- just when you think you have this album pegged this little beaut comes and changes everything and gets you in the Hap-hap-happy vibe. I defy anyone not to be tapping some extremity, if it ain't tappin its fell off! Go check! "BEHIND MY BACK"-- now we get to the real meat and bones of this album. Feeling sorry for yourself when some swine has done the dirty on you? This is the track for you. It's full of questions that can only lead to hurt, more hurt and then pain city! The melancoly sound of the Hammond organ coupled with the vocals make this a standout track for me. Nice! Definately the late night and Bourbon times. "PROPHET"-- a song about not respecting yourself. Wow. Me likes this so, so much. I liked it so much it got two plays in the same show. First time that's ever happened in J&B's two years on the air! Such a simple sounding song. Bass, Vocals and Guitar just goes to prove you don't need the big sounds to make a statement. Keep simple but spectacular! I could go on and on about this album but the only way to appreciate this gem is to buy the thing. May the album go platinum! --J&B BLUES, SPEYSOUND RADIO 96.6, SCOTLAND

The music's great! Some of my favourite cuts are, for down right Pure Sex Blues: "Your One & Only", "Ms. Jeneration Hip Zone", "Dirty One", and "Strut" do it for me. The acoustic cuts "Behind My Back" and "Prophet" hit the spot. "You Don't Know" "Get Me Out" and "The Fabulous New Debbie Song" are beautifully crafted and well executed songs. It's good to see Aussie wine get a mention, thanks!...Without sounding too sexist, I was first attracted to Cathy Jean from her shots in Living Blues. I could not wait to get the mag to see what shots there were of her. I'm glad she had a different photo in each issue. She's a "real spunk"-- that's Aussie for (I don't know) beautiful, hot, sexy, a 10, take your pick. The fact that she plays great guitar/writes songs and can sing is the icing, the strawberry and the cream on the cake... It's really the music that's important, we know that. The fact that it's Cathy Jean who is doing it makes it all the better. --BLUES BOX DOWN UNDER RADIO, AUSTRALIA

You just never really know what to expect next from this lady-- will it be something mellow with a groove, or nasty and in your face! My introduction to this artist came when I received her second CD, "I Want". As I was checking out all the saucy photos on the covers and in the booklet, I was prepared for some wannabe who was only told she could sing by guys who wanted to hear a different kind of tune coming from her, if you get my drift. (No offense, Cathy-- this was before I heard it!) The first thing I hear, though, is a blasting boogie where she's telling some guy to be glad "she don't like jail", otherwise she'd put a bullet in his head. Ouch. The thing is, she sounded great. A little threatening, but great! Now, on Cathy's third effort, "Marshall Road Apocalypse", she heads in a raunchier, rougher direction. As with her previous CD's, Cathy writes all her own material. This time, though, it seems as if she's been messed with one too many times, and she's exacting her revenge on all the evil-doers through her music-- and wins! ...Take my word for it-- you will love these discs in your collection! --TEXAS FLOOD RADIO, USA

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