Martha Ann Brooks released her album called  "Lately..."  in May of 2009.   Since then, this lady has been taking the world by storm.  Not one to be cornered into any "one" genre,  she flows like the wind easily and effortlessly, from Folk to Blues, Rock, Country and Americana.   The result is spectacular.    "Lately..."  encompasses a variety of tracks which will delight the senses of every listener.   NW Georgia (USA) has something to be proud of here.  

I know stations like to use catch phrases like "Country" or "Folk" , but with Martha Ann Brooks, throw the old book away !   This lady transcends the old rules and does it with style !   Martha Ann's songwriting skills are brilliant, casting a web of storytelling that keeps you involved as well as entertained.   Her vocals are on the money, sexy and a delight to the ear.
 
Martha Ann Brooks'  band is comprised of magnificent musicians, who are the backbone of this Album.   Its an easy Album to connect with on all levels.
 
The 3 tracks I have chosen to single out here are:
 
1) Rattlin' My Chains  - Martha Ann sings with the spirit of blues coursing through her veins !!  
Great spotlight on Tim Starnes on harmonica bringing Martha Ann's voice even higher on the blues scale !   This is a wonderful track done with enthusiasm.   I dare you to sit still.
 
2) Lately (I Been Changin' My Mind)  - The title track off this wonderful Album.   A real old time country feel. Martha Ann takes us back to the 50's,  where the ladies of country ruled in this wonderful genre.   Strong songwriting skills shine throughout this song.   One of my personal favorites.
 
3) Lovers In Love  - This song catches our attention right away.   A mellow easy flow, with Martha Ann's voice crystal clear and beautifully delivered.   The use of the fiddle showcasing this georgous song.   This is the song to be played at every anniversary and wedding.   It touches the ear and lives in the heart.    Wonderfully written.
 
All in all , this entire album is simply wonderful.   My congrats going to Martha Ann Brooks & her band.   This album is a complete joy. Fantastic job.   Do yourself a favor today, grab this album !

 

Martha Ann Brooks is singer-songwriter originally from Montgomery, Alabama but raised in Augusta, Georgia who blends folk, country, and jazz with pop and has a wonderful controlled singing voice. Unlike all too many today she really can sing, and is a natural storyteller and an accomplished visual artist in the bargain!

"Lately…" is her second recording, following on from "Simply…" that contains her song ‘When Your Soldier Comes Back Home’ that was featured on Neil Young’s website.

Pulling on finely tuned emotional content, Brooks hits the spot time and time again with her heart-tugging ballads. As far as style and quality go the likes of ‘Dead Or Alive’ take the listener back to country music of old in style and quality. So wonderful is the mix as hints of the underrated Katy Moffatt come to mind and even she could not do better as Martha Ann brings home the genuine feel of hurt attributed a broken heart.

Brooks is shrewd in the way she keeps the music varied and moods not too heavy on the heartache side as the likes of the cheery, swing styled infectious barroom tune ‘Lately (I Been Changin’ My Mind)’ partners the down and out lonely teardrop blues ode 'Little Mama' and the decidedly more listener friendly and kind of cute ‘Hard Feelings’. Possessing neat harmonica, piano and fiddle and Brooks in her most relaxed Moffatt-esque country voice it bounces merrily along —like an open bed truck on a back road on a hot summer’s day.

Possessing a wide vocal range and tempered control she impresses throughout. Hence her efforts rarely dip below the level of consistency and expectation of the opening bunch of songs. As in mid-tempo song ‘Rattlin’ My Chains’ and fantastic heart-felt ballad 'Unfamiliar Circumstances' where the first real indication of her worth as a vocalist is underlined, plus a bright ‘n’ breezy swing jazz inclined ‘Dalai Lama Song’.

On a mellow, but still tasteful note ‘Lovers In Love’ possesses a graceful feel and like with ‘Deliciously Lonely’ that has fine steel guitar, mandolin (Mike Headrick) fiddle and piano escort Brooks to leave the listener hopelessly hooked.  

Her choice of material is impeccable.  Always in command she is never left struggling to obtain an unsuitable vocal level.

North Georgia singer/songwriter, Martha Ann Brooks has a new CD,  "Lately…".  
Featuring a traditional country/folk sound with Martha Ann’s smooth vocal on her own compositions,  "Lately…"  is a pleasant listen.  

The CD is produced by Gary Farmer, who also provided keyboards.   Dennis Brown plays electric guitar, Tim Starnes plays harmonica,  lap steel guitar, and fiddle.   Chips Roland and Al Samples keep the music going at bass and drums while Josh Dodson plays sax.

Unfamiliar Circumstances  shows Brooks at her finest.    Alone with an acoustic guitar, she opens the song with clean picking and the strength of her voice.  For me, this was the strongest song on this album, both for the strength of the song and for the simple presentation.

Your Love Kills  brings the band back with a traditional style country song.

Dead Or Alive  is also a strong song for Martha Ann.  The sparse setting with just guitar, bass, and fiddle allows Brooks to channel Patsy Cline.  When the rest of the band joins in,  Brooks wails,  bringing the song home.

On  Deliciously Lonely,  Mike Headrick plays pedal steel and mandolin while Jennifer Layne sings harmony.

"Lately…"   is a nice release from Martha Ann Brooks.   The songwriting is solid, the band is solid, and  Martha Ann Brooks displays a strong country voice.    If you are a fan of traditional country music, check out Martha Ann Brooks. 
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In November 2006 we had the opportunity to meet Martha Ann Brooks from Georgia (USA) when we reviewed her CD  "Simply ...".  After taking a break from performing to begin raising her family, her love for music was rekindled and resulted in her recording that album.  "When Your Soldier Comes Back Home", an anti-war song on that album, was prominently featured on Neil Young's "Living With War" website.

This latest album  "Lately…"  is comprised of twelve mostly acoustic and very American-oriented folk songs which are self-penned. Martha Ann Brooks presents herself on this album as a true storyteller and when it comes to the spread of emotions she's already up there in the first row.

The CD opens with  "Rattlin 'My Chains",  a swinging, bluesy song that is followed by a slower, acoustic guitar song  "Unfamiliar Circumstances".   Then, for us, comes one of the highlights of this record with the emotional country folk song  "Your Love Kills" showing a very strong "Gillian Welch factor".   The song  "Dead Or Alive"  is closely related to the previous song with her voice   accenting the emotionality that is nicely woven into the song.

Among the arsenal of musicians she used to record this CD, we took special note of Tim Starnes (lap steel guitarist, violinist, harmonica player) and Gary Farmer (keyboard player and the producer of this album).

Martha Ann Brooks is at her best when she targets the heart of the listener as heard in the tracks  "Lovers In Love",   "Deliciously Lonely" (which was beautifully sung with backing vocals by Jennifer Layne),   "Steal Your Heart",   and the more than six minutes of constantly pulling at your heart strings with  "Could We Go Back".    Among those tracks, she returns to the blues for the song  "Little Mama"  and swings on the songs  "Lately (I Been Changin' My Mind)"  and  "Hard Feelings".

"Lately ..."  is another fine album from Martha Ann Brooks in which her beautiful, crystal clear voice comes to full expression.  If she ever decides to make the major crossing over to Europe, we will make sure to attend her performance.

  

Martha Ann Brooks hails from the state of Georgia in the USA.

Her brand new album,  full of her own compositions,  is a very nice mix of country, blues, folk, etc., etc.  

What they now call Americana is there from the first note to the last;  it has everything in common with all genres yet has nothing in common with them as well.

From the catchy sounds of  Rattlin' My Chains  or  Lately  (I Been Changin' My Mind)  to the beautiful ballads like  Deliciously Lonely,  the album travels wonderfully through Martha Ann's passion, love, life, and influences.

She is so nice as a singer - but don't overlook her excellent work as a storyteller,  her superb acoustic guitar, and the good team of studio musicians on this recording.

You will agree that we all need to share this lovely news with the music world -
Martha Ann Brooks is here and she must have a listen !!!
 

Davide Frascella - Living Colours (Italy)

 This artist is not only a musician who can write songs, but she is also a painter as well as a poetess.  She is a woman who loves life with its difficulties and passions, where love, a tough feeling, is not exempt from troubles and pains. 

The introspective knowledge of the human being is the middle, the true heart in Martha Ann’s songs.

Recently she wrote “Lately...”, a strongly variegated musical palette containing many different, colourful tunes. Their colours are sometimes light, some others so marked and bright; often they reflect a highly refined musicality which harmonizes so perfectly with the lyrics.  Each tune conveys an intimate and deep thought of her everyday life, where Brooks is confronted with the integrity of her thought; she never lies and she devolves it partially to the music, then lets the natural passion drift herself away, intimately handed over to her own “Alter Ego”.  Martha Ann considers the human thinking a true bulwark of intimate acquaintance, unyielding consistency and dignity, a check point through the wonderful journey each man undertakes during his ongoing pilgrimage. 

The 12 tracks contain a wide variety of different musical genres gained without worrying of labeling or classifying, following the casualness of the moment.  Scoring the tracks you can encounter country ,folk, blues, rock, swing, pop and Americana which Martha Ann defines clearly as “BLUEFOLKACANA” - sounds reflecting a set of harmonies, emotions and feelings, sometimes so strong or in conflict with the soul. 

Clear voiced and well tuned, at times reminiscent of Anne Murray,  the resemblance impresses most of all in pieces such as “Your Love Kills”, “Dead Or Alive” and “Could We Go Back”.  Touching and delicious - the ballad “Unfamiliar Circumstances”.  Furthermore, “Little Mama” includes many interesting classic harmonies such as the emerging harmonica and guitars, while at the same time “Lovers in Love” and “Deliciously Lonely” are so captivating thanks to their waltzing time.  The album reaches the top with “Lately”, while the unique and terrific “Steal Your Heart” is so striking for its emotional distress. The swing time “Dalai Lama Song”  was inspired by a man who gives us moments of true optimism, who constantly testifies to them with his pleasant demeanor.

 “Lately” is really a great job, published two months ago and produced by Gary Farmer, an album that I would recommend to the lovers of good music.