Bother Me is the debut CD from this talented indie performer and it offers a great platform for her to shine with some powerful vocals, great guitar licks and sharp songwriting on display throughout. Bother Me features 15 songs that sees Dina handling all of the guitar chores with ease and which takes the listener on a journey through a number of styles all of which Dina seems comfortable in playing. Her voice at times is reminiscent of a younger Pat Benatar during her 80's heyday or Chrissie Hynde's vocals (Solid Ground) from her time with the Pretenders. As you might guess with the above comparisons I very much enjoyed the CD as a whole and even after several complete run throughs I don't think that there is a weak track among the 15 songs offered on this CD.

Dina does not simply sing/perform her songs in a manner that is similar to the above artists instead she stamps them indelibly with her own personality and style while bringing to mind the strong female vocalists that were mentioned previously. It is a great thing for an artist to be compared to such well know performers but in the end Dina's music is strictly her own and performed with a sense of who she is and what she wants the music to communicate to her listeners and she succeeds on both levels.

It is always refreshing to listen to a female rocker who is not afraid to let it out both in how she plays the guitar but in also allowing her vocals to project the emotions that are needed to bring out the feeling contained in her lyrics. For a great example of Dina letting go on guitar check out her licks on the song called Holiday and tell me this girl can't wail with the best of them.

The recording quality is excellent through out the disc and the music shows this quality in the sound that comes out of your speakers. Gilli Moon is a great match for Dina's vocals and the two of them create some smooth harmonies in the midst of these rocking tunes. Adam Gust's drum work acts as the backbone that drives the music forward and creates the perfect palette for Dina and crew to paint their word pictures on with their voices and their instruments.

Some of the standout cuts are A Perfect Love, Story, Holiday, The Edge, Sweeter Side and of course the title cut Bother Me. By actually naming a few of the cuts here don't think that your opinion won't differ because these were just my impressions and with a loaded deck like Bother Me I'm sure you will be able to pick several other songs that will become some of your favorite tunes and find a long term home in your car player, your iPod or on your home stereo system.

Besides which you don't have to take my word for how great these songs sound. Head on up to CD Baby and check out a generous 2:00 minute sample of each and every cut on this CD and I'm sure you will walk away with the same impression that I had when I first heard Dina's music and that is that Dina Gathe has a rocking future ahead of her in the music business and she had better get used to the idea of success.  
A CEV recommended CD!

Reviewed by Michael Foster editor CEV