HIP KITTY – THE ART OF WAR        Review by:  Chuck Dauphin

Justice and the music business are two things that don’t often go together.  Sometimes the cream doesn’t always find its’ way to the top of the coffee cup.  However, call me a dreamer…..but sometimes I think talent is just a little too obvious to be ignored.  Sometimes you hear something for the first time, and you know that you have got the ingredients for a remarkable career.  Call it a gut feeling, but I think that Hip Kitty qualifies as such a circumstance.

Based in the ..Nashville.. area, this group lends credence to the fact that ....Music.. ..City.... is more than just Country Music.  Jen Halverson, Mike Goncalves, Mark Chrisawn and Rich Schiavo are a Rock band---with a capital R.  They are a pretty remarkable one, at that.  The musicianship on each track is first-rate.  The guitar screams, the bass booms, and the drums provide the beat….to the ninth degree!

Then you have Halverson, who screams the word “star”.  She strikes a vulnerable tone, but at the same time oozes a sexuality that is very similar to that of Stevie Nicks or Janis Joplin.  Make no mistake about it, Halverson is going to be a star.  Her vocals are so confident and self-assured, particularly on tracks like “Sweat”, “Other Personality” and “Alive”, where she really hits her stride.  She can handle a slower performance as well.  On cuts like “Lead On” and “A Same New Day”, she shows that the talent is real…and not just hidden behind a loud guitar!

Simply put, I think it’s safe to head to Vegas and make a bet on this group.  Sometimes, one has to refine their talent a little and tweak this or that…Hip Kitty needs none of that.  All that needs to be done to / for this record is to be bought…and turned up…LOUD!  Sign me up for the bandwagon….now!

For more about Hip Kitty or to buy this CD, visit www.myspace.com/hipkitty

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