Post by timmy84 on Apr 30, 2006 9:06:03 GMT -5
Martha Reeves & the Vandellas: Gold[/i]
2006 Hip-O Select/Universal Motown Records
Primary Artist: Martha Reeves, the Vandellas
History: 1962 - 1978
Genres: Soul, Smooth Soul, Girl Group, Pop-Soul, Motown
Tracklisting
Disc One:
1.) I'll Have to Let Him Go
2.) Come and Get These Memories
3.) (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave
4.) A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)
5.) Quicksand
6.) Darling, I Hum Our Song
7.) Live Wire
8.) In My Lonely Room
9.) Dancing In The Street
10.) There He Is (At My Door)
11.) Wild One
12.) Nowhere to Run
13.) Motoring
14.) You've Been In Love Too Long
15.) Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)
16.) My Baby Loves Me
17.) What Am I Going To Do Without Your Love
18.) I'm Ready For Love
19.) Third Finger, Left Hand
20.) It's Easy To Fall In Love (With a Guy LIke You)
Disc Two:
1.) Jimmy Mack (stereo single version)
2.) Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone
3.) One Way Out
4.) Honey Chile
5.) Show Me The Way
6.) I Promise to Wait My Love
7.) Forget Me Not
8.) I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing
9.) Sweet Darlin'
10.) (We've Got) Honey Love
11.) Taking My Love (And Leaving Me)
12.) I Should Be Proud
13.) Love, Guess Who
14.) I Gotta Let You Go
15.) Bless You
16.) In And Out of My Life
17.) Tear It On Down
18.) Willie D - Martha Reeves & the Sweet Things
19.) Power of Love - Martha Reeves
20.) Wild Night - Martha Reeves
21.) Love Blind - Martha Reeves
22.) Free Again - Martha Reeves
My Honey Chile: Mama Martha[/u]
Before I bought this collection of greatest hits by the one and only Martha Reeves featuring the Vandellas, I have to be honest, I knew that the Vandellas were a very GREAT girl group and that Martha was the baddest, if not, the greatest female singer to ever be in Motown. I thought Gladys Knight had took that offer but apparently Ms. Reeves not only was powerful, she was indeed soulful and grittier than her contemporaries, which can probably explain why Berry "Phony" Gordy sought to ruin her career (and others) by putting all his attention into Diana "Cruella Deville" Ross.
Anyway, when I finally got it, the first song had the back of my neck standing on one end and to be honest, some of the known Vandellas hits that I knew I had only heard once or twice on the radio if I got lucky. GOOD THING I decided to buy this album when I couldn't look for a "decent" CD last night. LOL Everyone knows the history of how Martha rose out of Alabama poor, formed a girl group called the Del Phis and had recorded for a while before a fateful turn when Martha was asked or volunteered to sing a song intended for Mary Wells. It was afterwards that Motown offered a deal with Martha and her group, now known as the Vandellas. And you know the rest is history: the Vandellas struck gold with "Come & Get These Memories" and "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" while with Holland-Dozier-Holland. Then they hit superstar status with "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run" and its subsequent hits including "My Baby Loves Me", "I'm Ready For Love", "Jimmy Mack" and "Honey Chile". It was enough for the group to get accolades afterwards (their inductions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003 confirmed their legendary status).
Now onto the music, after listening to this collection which spans early Motown girl group pop (inspired by the Brill Building sound of that same period), pop-soul, dance, gritty soul, socially-conscious like material, funk, rock & roll and disco, I'm convinced that not only is Martha Reeves one of the greatest singers, period, of all time, but the Vandellas were the greatest girl group that ever came out of Motown besides from the Marvellettes with the Supremes at dead last IMHO. The talents of Reeves, Annette Sterling, Rosalind Ashford, Betty Kelly, Lois Reeves and Sandra Tilley helped the Vandellas score hit after hit between 1963 and 1972. They were the only girl group keeping score with the Supremes and one of the only girl groups to withstand the British Invasion and psychedelic rock scenes.
"I'll Have to Let Him Go" reminds me of the Shirrelles in the beginning until it explodes into the kind of gospel/doo-wop background that was essentially the Vandellas. Their first big hit, "Come & Get These Memories" showcased their impeccable harmonies and Martha's sassy delivery while "Heat Wave" in its extended version is just pure rock & roll to me. The way the record just comes at you in its gospel-like flow makes you wanna testify. "Quicksand" is another enjoyable combo of rock & roll angst and gospel flow while "Darling I Hum Our Song" is a sexy song. That's all I say about that.
"Live Wire" has Martha EXPLODING on this one. This one really truly made the hair on the back of my neck stand up! She RIPPED IT! "In My Lonely Room" is another favorite. These two songs are songs I've only heard once and twice and has gotten me mad radio don't play it often. OF COURSE, you know "Dancing In the Street" is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, dance song, funk song, rock song, soul song, pop song, of all time. There's not enough to say about it except it helped the group make music history, not just Motown history. They're forever in the books even if it was just for that one particular song. "There He Is (At My Door)" is another treat and as Mark Bego said in the essay in the booklet, Martha makes you feel whatever she was singing about. "Wild One" is truly ahead of its time as is "Nowhere to Run" (another FONKY cut) and "Motoring". "You've Been In Love Too Long" could be seen as a pro-woman anthem in the days before Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls. "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)", "My Baby Loves Me" and "What Am I Going To Do Without Your Love" are so sultry, so sexy, so lovely and so beautiful, simple reviews of these songs wouldn't make sense! "I'm Ready For Love" is of course one of the best tracks they released in the era when the Sups had somehow taking the wind out of most artists in Motown. "Third Finger, Left Hand" is a rare album track that shows the Vandellas again were one of the most harmonious groups in Motown's history. "It's Easy to Fall in Love" is another one (I think Martha's singing about me 
).
The second disc kicks off with another one of the Vandellas' BEST hits, "Jimmy Mack", man, if the group had gotten what the Supremes had gotten, we'd be going "Diana who?" This track is proof they could definitely beat the Supremes in delivery. Imagine Martha singing "I Hear a Symphony" and "My World Is Empty Without You"! This is what this track remind me of. "Love Bug" is gritty soul as is "One Way Out" and "Honey Chile" shows me, in my opinion, their contribution to funk since that song lyrically is groovy and the vocal delivery is as eclectic. Other songs that follow, including "I Can't Dance to the Music You're Playing" (which features the late Syretta Wright singing background), shows the Vandellas' versatility especially "Taking My Love (And Leaving Me)" and "I Should Be Proud", which was one of the first Motown protest songs before Edwin Starr's "War" and the Temps' "Ball of Confusion" came out. The group even tried to Jackson 5 their sound with "Bless You" but it's obvious that the Vandellas still rang through. After breaking up in 1973, Martha went solo and her solo contributions, which are much needed on a collection, showcased why she could've been a leading soul and disco singer in the '70s. Why songs like "Power of Love" (a Joe Simon cover), "Wild Night" (a Van Morrison cover which was later famously covered by John Mellencamp and Me'Shell N'degeocello), "Love Blind" (her last charted hit) and "Free Again" (which has Martha shooting to the moon vocally!) didn't become hits I don't know why and "Willie D" is a funky tune which had Reeves, like her former label mates Marvin Gaye and Willie Hutch, and contemporaries like Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, singing blaxplotation movie themes (she was one of the few female acts to do so). Overall, this collection proves why the Vandellas and Martha Reeves earned their legendary status.
Diana, CHOKE ON THAT!
Long live Martha & the Vandellas :girlgroup:
Grade: A++++
2006 Hip-O Select/Universal Motown Records
Primary Artist: Martha Reeves, the Vandellas
History: 1962 - 1978
Genres: Soul, Smooth Soul, Girl Group, Pop-Soul, Motown
Tracklisting
Disc One:
1.) I'll Have to Let Him Go
2.) Come and Get These Memories
3.) (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave
4.) A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)
5.) Quicksand
6.) Darling, I Hum Our Song
7.) Live Wire
8.) In My Lonely Room
9.) Dancing In The Street
10.) There He Is (At My Door)
11.) Wild One
12.) Nowhere to Run
13.) Motoring
14.) You've Been In Love Too Long
15.) Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)
16.) My Baby Loves Me
17.) What Am I Going To Do Without Your Love
18.) I'm Ready For Love
19.) Third Finger, Left Hand
20.) It's Easy To Fall In Love (With a Guy LIke You)
Disc Two:
1.) Jimmy Mack (stereo single version)
2.) Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone
3.) One Way Out
4.) Honey Chile
5.) Show Me The Way
6.) I Promise to Wait My Love
7.) Forget Me Not
8.) I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing
9.) Sweet Darlin'
10.) (We've Got) Honey Love
11.) Taking My Love (And Leaving Me)
12.) I Should Be Proud
13.) Love, Guess Who
14.) I Gotta Let You Go
15.) Bless You
16.) In And Out of My Life
17.) Tear It On Down
18.) Willie D - Martha Reeves & the Sweet Things
19.) Power of Love - Martha Reeves
20.) Wild Night - Martha Reeves
21.) Love Blind - Martha Reeves
22.) Free Again - Martha Reeves
My Honey Chile: Mama Martha[/u]
Before I bought this collection of greatest hits by the one and only Martha Reeves featuring the Vandellas, I have to be honest, I knew that the Vandellas were a very GREAT girl group and that Martha was the baddest, if not, the greatest female singer to ever be in Motown. I thought Gladys Knight had took that offer but apparently Ms. Reeves not only was powerful, she was indeed soulful and grittier than her contemporaries, which can probably explain why Berry "Phony" Gordy sought to ruin her career (and others) by putting all his attention into Diana "Cruella Deville" Ross.
Anyway, when I finally got it, the first song had the back of my neck standing on one end and to be honest, some of the known Vandellas hits that I knew I had only heard once or twice on the radio if I got lucky. GOOD THING I decided to buy this album when I couldn't look for a "decent" CD last night. LOL Everyone knows the history of how Martha rose out of Alabama poor, formed a girl group called the Del Phis and had recorded for a while before a fateful turn when Martha was asked or volunteered to sing a song intended for Mary Wells. It was afterwards that Motown offered a deal with Martha and her group, now known as the Vandellas. And you know the rest is history: the Vandellas struck gold with "Come & Get These Memories" and "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" while with Holland-Dozier-Holland. Then they hit superstar status with "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run" and its subsequent hits including "My Baby Loves Me", "I'm Ready For Love", "Jimmy Mack" and "Honey Chile". It was enough for the group to get accolades afterwards (their inductions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003 confirmed their legendary status).
Now onto the music, after listening to this collection which spans early Motown girl group pop (inspired by the Brill Building sound of that same period), pop-soul, dance, gritty soul, socially-conscious like material, funk, rock & roll and disco, I'm convinced that not only is Martha Reeves one of the greatest singers, period, of all time, but the Vandellas were the greatest girl group that ever came out of Motown besides from the Marvellettes with the Supremes at dead last IMHO. The talents of Reeves, Annette Sterling, Rosalind Ashford, Betty Kelly, Lois Reeves and Sandra Tilley helped the Vandellas score hit after hit between 1963 and 1972. They were the only girl group keeping score with the Supremes and one of the only girl groups to withstand the British Invasion and psychedelic rock scenes.
"I'll Have to Let Him Go" reminds me of the Shirrelles in the beginning until it explodes into the kind of gospel/doo-wop background that was essentially the Vandellas. Their first big hit, "Come & Get These Memories" showcased their impeccable harmonies and Martha's sassy delivery while "Heat Wave" in its extended version is just pure rock & roll to me. The way the record just comes at you in its gospel-like flow makes you wanna testify. "Quicksand" is another enjoyable combo of rock & roll angst and gospel flow while "Darling I Hum Our Song" is a sexy song. That's all I say about that.
"Live Wire" has Martha EXPLODING on this one. This one really truly made the hair on the back of my neck stand up! She RIPPED IT! "In My Lonely Room" is another favorite. These two songs are songs I've only heard once and twice and has gotten me mad radio don't play it often. OF COURSE, you know "Dancing In the Street" is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, dance song, funk song, rock song, soul song, pop song, of all time. There's not enough to say about it except it helped the group make music history, not just Motown history. They're forever in the books even if it was just for that one particular song. "There He Is (At My Door)" is another treat and as Mark Bego said in the essay in the booklet, Martha makes you feel whatever she was singing about. "Wild One" is truly ahead of its time as is "Nowhere to Run" (another FONKY cut) and "Motoring". "You've Been In Love Too Long" could be seen as a pro-woman anthem in the days before Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls. "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)", "My Baby Loves Me" and "What Am I Going To Do Without Your Love" are so sultry, so sexy, so lovely and so beautiful, simple reviews of these songs wouldn't make sense! "I'm Ready For Love" is of course one of the best tracks they released in the era when the Sups had somehow taking the wind out of most artists in Motown. "Third Finger, Left Hand" is a rare album track that shows the Vandellas again were one of the most harmonious groups in Motown's history. "It's Easy to Fall in Love" is another one (I think Martha's singing about me ).The second disc kicks off with another one of the Vandellas' BEST hits, "Jimmy Mack", man, if the group had gotten what the Supremes had gotten, we'd be going "Diana who?" This track is proof they could definitely beat the Supremes in delivery. Imagine Martha singing "I Hear a Symphony" and "My World Is Empty Without You"! This is what this track remind me of. "Love Bug" is gritty soul as is "One Way Out" and "Honey Chile" shows me, in my opinion, their contribution to funk since that song lyrically is groovy and the vocal delivery is as eclectic. Other songs that follow, including "I Can't Dance to the Music You're Playing" (which features the late Syretta Wright singing background), shows the Vandellas' versatility especially "Taking My Love (And Leaving Me)" and "I Should Be Proud", which was one of the first Motown protest songs before Edwin Starr's "War" and the Temps' "Ball of Confusion" came out. The group even tried to Jackson 5 their sound with "Bless You" but it's obvious that the Vandellas still rang through. After breaking up in 1973, Martha went solo and her solo contributions, which are much needed on a collection, showcased why she could've been a leading soul and disco singer in the '70s. Why songs like "Power of Love" (a Joe Simon cover), "Wild Night" (a Van Morrison cover which was later famously covered by John Mellencamp and Me'Shell N'degeocello), "Love Blind" (her last charted hit) and "Free Again" (which has Martha shooting to the moon vocally!) didn't become hits I don't know why and "Willie D" is a funky tune which had Reeves, like her former label mates Marvin Gaye and Willie Hutch, and contemporaries like Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, singing blaxplotation movie themes (she was one of the few female acts to do so). Overall, this collection proves why the Vandellas and Martha Reeves earned their legendary status.
Diana, CHOKE ON THAT!
Long live Martha & the Vandellas :girlgroup:
Grade: A++++
...I think the real bonus with this release without a doubt are the solo Martha cuts. In additon to the group r4ecordings they only reinforce the fact that she also had the a much more versatile delivery than Diana ... and is it me or does somebody have a thing for Martha now ((T84)) :teehee:
Her voice is so soulful, dreamy, sexy, beautiful and all of that, also it's POWERFUL too. I also love the Vandellas' (Annette, Gloria, Rosalyn, Lois and Sandra) harmonies too. Dang, Martha can do it all and yet the people who were releasing her solo material didn't even promote her right. 
Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, I'd say Martha & the Vandellas were the funkiest girl group to come out of Motown. 
That "Motoring" is something else!!! 
