audrey
martell
life
lines
I
ran across a letter today which I received in May of 2006 and it
started me on a nostalgic downer of sorts. It was from Audrey
Martell and had
accompanied a review copy of her then new album, life
lines,
and I could read the hope between the lines when she typed “Thank
you so much for your consideration. I sure hope you find something
that speaks to the music lover in you.” The truth is, I
found more than something in the twelve songs served up by Martell
and her partner-in-crime, Mattias
Gustafsson.
I found everything. Everything that music is supposed to be, in
fact.
Or maybe I should say what it was becoming to me once again. I had worked in the record business most of my life when life lines crossed my desk and, truth be told, I was plain burned out. At the time I was writing, but mainly because I was caring for my ailing mother and there was little else I could do to survive and at the same time keep myself sane. I had a couple of months before written a review of Gabrielle's outstanding album, Wide, and Gabrielle had done the graphic design on life lines. I even then had a hard time saying no to the indies, most of whom were asking only for a chance to be heard, so I said send it along. When I received it, I listened tentatively. For a few minutes anyway. It was, to be succinct, inspiration on a disc.
To explain what I didn't know about the morphing business of music, Martell is African American and me, being the white boy from Oregon, thought soul or maybe R&B. What I found had tinges of that, true, but it was as much Rock 'n' Soul as anything and I was taken away. From the opening track, Red, to the last notes of Slip Away, I heard some of the best R&B-influenced Pop I'd ever heard. I reviewed it and the review slipped downstream and I'm sure very few people ever read it. My bad. I should have been more attuned to the writing game, but I really had no idea what to do but post it and hope. It was way too little.
And I thought maybe it was way too late, too, until I came across that letter. How long ago was it released? Five, six years? I took a look at the picture hiding behind the disc on the inside of the package and realized that there was no way I was going to allow people to ignore it any longer. Consider this a precursor to a Martell-athon. Music this good deserves to be heard. Needs to be heard.
Of course, the tracks that strike me most are the emotionally intense Heaven and Hell and Never Looking Back, major league ballads if ever there were any. I'm an emotional guy and they fall just short of bringing tears to my eyes. But this album is packed. The upbeat and rocking Casanova rides a wave of light rhythm that makes me move in jerky little motions whether I want to or not, the rhythm gets more involved and heavier on Can't Break Me and even heavier on Wash Me Down. Then, there is If God Is a Man, a song with a chorus which knocks me out every time I hear it.
I'm hearing it tonight. It is as good as it was when I first heard it in 2006 and the last time I heard it just a couple of months ago and every time between, in fact.
Where's Audrey today, you ask? She's still living somewhere around New York City and singing and probably better than ever. With a voice like hers, she doesn't have too hard of a time finding work, I am sure.
Look. This album is still available through CDBaby. You might want to take a short trip over there and sample a few of her tracks. If you want good music. If you're not trapped in the now of it all. If..... if..... if. There is nothing to lose, my friend. And should you hear what I have been hearing these past five or six years, a lot to gain.
And on a personal note: Nile? Cole? I know people tell you this all the time, but your momma done good. Real, real good.
Frank O. Gutch Jr.
Supporting the Indies Since 1969
