Search - Martha Wash :: The Collection

Brilliant singer, mediocre collection

09/13/1998

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Martha Wash's voice is NOT the problem here. It's not even the songs that she sings on this 'greatest hits' collection. It's more a matter of what has been neglected, making the album incomplete. This can not even pretend to be the best collection of songs by Martha Wash, or even a collection worthy of being the only one by her on the market.Let's start with the basics. RuPaul is a wonderful personality, but she can not compete with the original singing of Izora Rhodes (later Izora Armstead). Izora ripped into "It's Raining Men" with throaty abandon. RuPaul's vocals are not only totally outmatched by Martha Wash's, but they're annihilated simply by the memory of Izora's.Another basic rule for a Martha Wash collection, or indeed any collection by such a good singer, is: unless the song is unbelievably brilliant, don't include tracks where the singer is not the focus. For this specific collection, the songs with C+C Music Factory should be dumped.Another problem: Martha's work with Two Tons is underrepresented, and the work with the Weathergirls is not represented at all. There should have been space here to include a number (or, better yet, much more than one) by the Weathergirls. How about her singing on "Hope" from the 'Success' album, or either "Love's on the Way" or "Why Can't We Show Our Love" from 1987's 'Weathergirls' LP? Also, including "It's True I Do" as one of two songs from her Two Tons days is sacrilege. Where is the classic duet "I Been Down" from 1980's 'Backatcha' or "Just Us" from the original 'Two Tons o' Fun' album?Another missed opportunity comes when Martha's work with Sylvester is ignored. She's instrumental to the success of songs like "I (Who Have Nothing)," plus perhaps her best singing ever on the live 1979 duet from Sylvester's 'Living Proof' LP, "Could It Be Magic?/A Song for You."There are only two more complaints: could the rights to her duet with Luther Vandross on "I (Who Have Nothing)" been secured? If so, why weren't they? The two are simply incredible on the song.Finally, her 1992 album 'Martha Wash' is represented, but with the wrong tracks. Including "Carry On" was a good move, and there's nothing wrong with "Give It To You," but it is not the best song from the album. "Leave a Light On" is a better dance track than "Give It to You." For that matter, so is part two of "Hold On." That album's best song was undeniably "Now That You're Gone," which she wails and growls in a low, throaty register. Why is it not included?The album does show some spark in its selection of ballads, since "Someone Who Believes in You" and "Taking Away Your Space" are legendary. The latter features Martha hitting a note that an opera star would be proud of. If only two songs could be included from the Two Tons, "Taking Away Your Space" is a great choice.Ultimately, though, the album is a cheat. If a novice listener plans to buy only this album, he or she will miss brilliant vocal moments. For a committed fan, it's not even a decent overview of her career. So how about the release of a better, more complete collection? If compilers can't resist including her singing backing vocals on club tracks, why not create a boxed set? Her singing is five stars. The compilation is ridiculously inadequate. A piece of advice: search long and hard to find the original albums from all facets of Martha Wash's career. Those albums are a whole lot better buy than this collection."

Huge Talent!

fabio-italy | milan, italy | 01/03/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ever happened you were listening to the radio and you went: "hey this voice is familiar...?" and then the dj says the name of a band that is different from the one you were thinking of?
Well, then - most probably - you were listening to a dance group featuring the lady in question.
Martha has always been high up on the wish list of lots of dance groups in need of a vocalist with experience, skills and a GREAT voice.
See: Two Tons of Fun, C&C Music Factory or Black Box...just to name a few...
This Cd by Martha is a compilation that most easily includes 20 years of dance anthems.
I like the feeling i get whenever i hear her voice.
She is so talented, it hurt so bad when she was not given the due exposure because of her looks that apparently did not fit the marketing people.
So..what do we get here? A # 1 US smash with GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT with C&C, a couple of Top Ten hits (STRIKE IT UP with Black Box - remixed version here - and her own GIVE IT TO YOU), two great duets (KEEP ON JUMPING, sung with another dancefloor heavyweight such as Jocelyn Brown and produced by Todd Terry, and the cover of Two Tons of Fun's IT'S RAINING MEN - a gay anthem in its own right....in duet with Ru-Paul...a winner!).
And then lots of good tracks, both to be enjoyed by listening or dancing as you please..
Do yourself a favour, good music is about music..not looks only.
Martha is waiting there for you to prove me right."

Incomplete, but wonderful collection of true vocal talent

Charlie | Dallas, Texas | 10/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have to agree that "The Collection" is an incomplete compilation of the works of one of the most talented vocal artists of this or any generation. Martha has the talent and range to go from soft ballad delivery to a belting club phenomenon in the blink of an eye. It's true, there are many great songs that are not represented here, but one that is, and my personal favorite is "God Bless the Road". This song will truly set you free. It lets you in easy with ballad-style vocals, and steadily increases till you find yourself engulfed in a movement worthy of any chorale concert. What's true of all songs on "The Collection" is that Martha delivers each one like nobody else would ever attempt to. Buy it, and despite it's shortcomings (which have nothing to do with her talent) you'll still love it."