Track Listing

1. Wild Night
2. You've Got Me For Company
3. Facsimile
4. Ain't That Peculiar
5. Dixie Highway
6. Power Of Love
7. My Man (You Changed My Tune)
8. Sweet Misery
9. I've Got To Use My Imagination
10. Storm In My Soul
11. Many Rivers To Cross

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66135 in Music
• Released on: 1997-10-13
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A lost classic
When originally released in 1974, this was one of the most expensive albums ever produced. MCA bought Martha out of her contract with Motown, and the album was over a year in the making. Richard Perry was the producer. He was better known for pop/rock than for R&B.

The album did not sell well. It failed to find its market as it fell awkwardly between R&B and pop. In a fair world, with a bit of good luck, I believe this album could have been a huge hit and established Martha Reeves as a top solo artist, but it didn't happen. In a way that doesn't matter, beacause it is still a great album. On the other hand, the commercial failure prevented Martha from making more recordings of this calibre, which is a great shame.

On to the music, the album opens with a sizzling version of Van Morrison's 'Wild Night', that is a worthy and logical successor to 'Dancing In The Street', Martha & The Vandellas huge hit from a decade earlier. Then comes 'You've Got Me For Company' which brings the tempo down. Martha does a great sensitive job on the song, like she does on the whole album. Martha's own composition 'Facsimile' follows. It leaves you wondering what she could have accomplished if her song writing ability had been encouraged earlier.

Then comes a version of Marvin Gaye's barnstorming hit 'Aint That Peculiar', but Martha's version is slowed right down. Her good diction and special way with a song bring out the beauty of Smokey's lyrics. A power house Carole King ballad 'Dixie Highway' is next. Alabama born Martha puts real feeling into that one.

A mid-tempo version of Joe Simon's hit 'Power Of Love' shows off both the powerful and the gentle side of Martha's voice. Then another power house ballad 'My Man (You've Changed My Tune)', which could have been number 1 on every chart there was. You know by now that you are dealing with a big fan don't you?.

'Sweet Misery' bounces along nicely. The rhythm track is similar to Paul Simon's hit '50 Ways To Leave Your Lover'. I'm not sure which came first. Then comes a version of Gladys Knight & The Pips hit 'I've Got To Use My Imagination', which like 'Aint...' is slowed down, with an almost country feel, that makes you really listen to the words.

'Storm In My Soul' is a rousing up tempo number, where Martha's powerful voice again comes into its own. The last track is a gospelesque version of Jimmy'y Cliff's 'Many Rivers To Cross', with a whole choir doing background vocals. I prefer this version to any other I have heard.

So there you have it. A lost classic album. If you've got any interest in 1970s pop/soul, then it is worth every penny of the price. I believe that a mid-price re-release with a bit of a push could still make this album a hit, and the music deserves to be better known. How about it somebody?