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.

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 certainly 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 exhausting 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" She re-invent Leonard Cohen "Suzanne" and makes it her own master piece, then there is Brel "Sons of" and many more wonderful songs, 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. Originally the cd was called "Bare" and one can understand why. Since then Barb as recorded many cd's for Linn records and although they are grea,t I feel that this early cd is her best. Maybe on the newer cd's she tries to be a little too clever, in many instances less is more or in this case the "Bare" essential is the key Forgot to mention the great sound! "A million star"

I was brought up with Jaques Brel, Barbara, those French chansoniers that lived their songs. Barb is the first English speaking singer that I know that I can fully relate to when interpreting this type of songs. This reissue is marvellous, Barb has everything my type of singer should have. Now I wish that she did a cd dedicated to the music of Barbara that would surely be a knockout.