Girls just don’t rock and roll any more, at least not in the way Tina Turner, Linda Ronstadt, Janis Joplin and even new wave hanger-ons Deborah Harry and Annie Lennox did. I blame Madonna. She definitely knew how to get a nice dance beat going but she chose to focus on image rather than actually making music, always a good business choice in our hedonistic society. Most of the wanna-be divas followed her lead. The female pop stars of the 21st century couldn’t belt out a old fashioned rocker if their life depended on it. Well, maybe Gwen Stefani in her No Doubt days, but now?

There is as least one aspiring female vocalist who knows what good old fashioned rock n’ roll is. Los Angeles’ own Audra Hardt has a voice custom-made for belting out a rocker but skilled enough to put meaning in down-beat and up-beat songs alike. Her album Superficial Superstar is available through Jamendo and should make the most jaded Pat Benatar fan listen in admiration. There is a hard edged Benatar sound in these tracks and some more modern Stefani influences, both you can hear in the opening “Watch Me”. Hardt’s voice has a threatening but sexy feel coupled with a self-disciplined control that can squeeze the best out of a musical phrase. “Sinner Saint” is a especially good example of her powerful delivery and if I have led you to to believe she is a only a power pop singer may I turn your attention to a warmly sung ballad titled “Now and Then”?. If Audra Hardt was the only thing good on this album that would be enough but the lyrics are first class and she is accompanied by a band that is one of the best I’ve heard on an independent release. This is a tight and totally professional effort of straight ahead rock.

Superficial Superstar is available in VBR MP3 format.

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