Therine

I have recently made a new bffl with the lovely and talented Therine (pronounced There (like hair with a "th")- in). She calls herself a "blondie brownie ala Gaga," which TOTES suits her since she's indeed a blonde but sings her some SOOOOUUULLL... not to mention her crazy, Gaga-like theatrics. THIS BITCH with her glittery mask (you know how I love sparkles) and her keytar (which MAKES you happy just looking at it), will have you screaming "Yes Ma'am," all night long, like Mr. Lionel Richie.

Her new single, "Imma Soldier," was digitally released yesterday, July 24th. I'm. In. Love. The song is reminiscent of some old school 90's R&B ala Destiny's Child or En Vouge. Kinda in the vein of "I can do this on my own and will look fierce doing it," but forges forward with some sickening house beats, that of David Guetta (btw whoever produced... SICKENING sir or ma'am). But what stands out the most to my glittertastic ears is the performance. Ms. Therine might have a tendency to lean more towards simple lyrics and rhymes but that is why her music works. The words get out of the way so that message and the feeling of the song can shine through without a lot of poetics. Bravo, ma'am!

You can download the MP3 here: IMMA SOLDIER DOWNLOAD

Sparkly kisses,
Stevie - Stevie Frick

Catherine Holder's self-titled EP is a wonderful mix of blues, jazz, and R&B-influenced pop. Catherine has a beautiful, soulful voice that is alluring to listen to. On the first song, "Mexico," she proclaims her passion for the country in a bluesy, sultry way. "Frenzy," which has a Peggy Lee's "Fever" feel to it, has an old school R&B vibe and showcases Catherine's extensive vocal range. "Buh-Bye" is an empowering break-up song, which is exquisitely arranged with horns and female backing vocals. "Old Fashioned Romance" has a standard jazz-style with a modern edge & contemporary lyrics, and the final Soul-influenced song, "I Can't Let You Go," is expressive without feeling contrived. Amazing music and great first effort! - LooseyLucy.com

Over the years, there have been plenty of artists who were generally considered pop-rock/Top 40 yet brought a lot of R&B appeal to their work. They weren’t hardcore R&B singers or R&B purists, but R&B clearly had a strong influence on sound. That was true of Dusty Springfield in the 1960s and Daryl Hall & John Oates and Dan Hartman in the 1970s and 1980s, and it has been true of Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Timberlake in the 21st Century. A name to add to that list of R&B-minded pop-rock/Top 40 artists is Catherine Holder, whose self-titled debut EP is probably too pop for urban contemporary radio stations but is a consistently appealing demonstration of the way that R&B, jazz, and blues can have a positive effect on artists who have a pop-rock/Top 40 foundation.

Stylistically, Holder is a different type of artist from, say, the late Teena Marie, who some African-American musicians lovingly described as the blackest white woman they had ever met (and when they said that, it was meant as high praise). Holder’s perspective, in contrast to Teena Marie or Lisa Stansfield, is the perspective of someone who is funky in a pop/Top 40 way, and she is quite good at what she does. This EP gets off to an infectious start with “Buh-Bye,” which isn’t the work of an R&B purist, but is enjoyably funky in the way of Kelly Clarkson on “Miss Independent” and “Walk Away.” Holder is equally infectious on “Frenzy” (which incorporates jazz and blues elements) and the melancholy “I Can’t Let You Go.”

“Mexico” is another example of how bluesy Holder can be at times. It doesn’t sound like a Koko Taylor recording, although it is certainly an example of bluesy pop-rock. Meanwhile, the playful “Old-Fashioned Romance” is easily the EP’s most jazz-influenced offering. The tune is pop-rock first and foremost, but has a jazzy outlook. Whether she is incorporating R&B, blues or jazz, Holder never fails to be expressive. Pair notable vocal chops with a lot of warmth, feeling and personality, and you have a very strong combination. On top of that, Holder has a way with a hook. “Buh-Bye,” “I Can’t Let You Go,” “Mexico,” “Old-Fashioned Romance” and “Frenzy” are hardly lacking in the hooks department. Further, Holder has a healthy sense of humor. On YouTube, she posted a slow, jazz-influenced cover of Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” (although that cover isn’t included on this EP).

It should be noted that while Holder is originally from Somerset, Kentucky, she now lives in Nashville. Of course, Nashville is best known for country music, but there are plenty of talented artists in Nashville who are not country-oriented, and Holder is obviously one of them. Every song on this late 2010 release is a winner. There are no weak, flawed or forgettable tracks on Catherine Holder. Obviously, it is easier to be consistent on a five-song, 16-minute EP than it is to be consistent on a full-length album that lasts 40, 50, 60 or 70 minutes, and it remains to be seen what Holder will come up with when she is ready to record a full-length album. But her recording career is off to a promising start with this EP.


Review by Alex Henderson
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
- YouReview.com

This one took a couple of spins to sink in...but once it stuck it really stuck in our heads like glue. Brentwood, Tennessee's Catherine Holder is one smart and sassy lady with talent. Holder used to be an actress but is now focusing her attention on making music. Her songs have already been played on dozens and dozens of radio stations across the country and her recordings have also been licensed for the television shows Teen Wolf, Moving In, and World of Jenks. This self-released EP features five tracks of smooth, polished, classy pop. What really caught our attention here are the lyrics. On the first spin you might mistake these songs for more of the same. But if you listen closely you can hear a cool sense of irony and an intriguing sarcastic wit. Our favorite cuts are "Mexico," "Buh-Bye," and "I Can't Let You Go." Smart smooth stuff with brains. - babysue by LMNOP aka dONW7

This young lady has it all in one package: dynamite voice, dynamite stage presence, dynamite songs, dynamite band, incredible energy that never dwindles. Vocally, she's out there on the edge with gals like Aretha, Etta, Patti, and Amy. She's a true powerhouse DIVA in every sense of the word and you mustn't miss her show! Not to mention she is sexy, SEXY, sexy and quite the dancer! She'd surely be a hard act to follow.
- Ron Browning, Voice and Performance Coach