Angelyna Martinez – Labor Of Love (CD)

 

Sound: B     Music: B-

 

 

Angelyna Martinez has jumped on the recent bandwagon of cover tune albums and Labor Of Love (2005), but what makes it different is that she dares to take on more credible classics than we have seen in the cycle to date.  The songs are:

 

1)     Straighten Up & Fly Right

2)     What A Wonderful World

3)     Fever

4)     Route 66

5)     It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

6)     Miss Celie’s Blues (from The Color Purple)

7)     God Bless The Child

8)     The Lady Is A Tramp

9)     Pure Imagination

10)  Stormy Weather

 

 

I’ll give Miss Martinez credit for good taste and ambition, even down to not duplicating versions of the songs we have heard in the past, but they are interesting alternatives at best and not as striking as the originals.  The idea of doing the songs differently and twisting the vocals around are fine, which some people will appreciate, but they are not too memorable by comparison no matter how heartfelt they may be.  The oddball choice here is Miss Celie’s Blues, nearly 40 years newer on average than the rest of the tracks, odder still from being out of the narrative context of the Steven Spielberg film of Alice Walker’s novel.  It is the least convincing of the tracks here, showing that all her empathy cannot make up for a choppy connection with the song and the time period it is supposed to take place in.

 

On the other hand, the PCM 2.0 Stereo is very nice and clear, demonstrating that this was a well-recorded album.  The detail of the instruments and fullness of her voice do help sell the songs to the extent that is possible.  The real challenge will be to see how she handles newer material, but there are listeners who are going to enjoy this set and more power to Miss Martinez in her career pursuits.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo