Martha-Ann Brooks - "Lately"
Folk - Americana - Blues or as Martha Calls it "Bluefolkacana"
www.myspace.com/marthaannbrooks & www.marthaannbrooks.com


Martha Ann Brooks - "Lately"
Martha Ann Brooks - Vocals / Acoustic guitar
Dennis Brown - Electric guitar
Gary Farmer - Keyboards
Tim Starnes - Harmonica / Lap Steel / Fiddle
Josh Dodson - Tenor Sax
Chips Roland - Electric Bass / Upright Bass
Al Samples - Drums / Percussion
Mike Headrick - Pedal Steel / Mandolin (Track # 8 only)
Jennifer Layne - Harmony vocal (Track # 8 only)
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All tracks recorded at Wolf Den Studio - Flintstone, GA
except Track # 8 - recorded at Mikron Studio - Jasper, TN
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Produced & Mastered by Gary Farmer - Wolf Den Studio


Track Playlist:
Rattlin' My Chains
Unfamiliar Circumstances
Your Love Kills
Dead Or Alive
Dalai Lama Song
Lovers In Love
Lately 
Deliciously Lonely
Little Mama
Hard Feelings
Steal Your Heart
Could We Go Back


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 Transends the old rules and does it with Style!
Martha's Songwriting skills are brilliant, casting a web of story telling 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 sings with the spirit of Blues coursing through her veins!! Great spotlight on Tim Starnes on Harmonica bringing Martha's voice even higher on the blues scale! This is a wonderful track done with enthusiasm. I dare you to sit still.


2) Lately - The Title track off this wonderful Album. A real old time Country Feel. Martha takes us back to the 50's , when 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's voice crystal clear and beautifuly 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!
Yours in the music
Shashona
Indie Showcase - www.indieshowcase.net
AwesomeRadio - www.awesomeradio.net
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This is an excellent album.
You should buy it.
Martha Ann can sing, be it blues, country-tinged songs, jazzy tunes, or ballads.
She can rock, too. I really do like her versatile voice, and there are not many who can sing a ballad that well.
Even more important for song-lovers like me, she surely can write. Not one boring song on the album, and how often do you have that? And there are at least four songs that are outstanding, and my standards as a listener are pretty high.
The lyrics are constantly interesting, you actually have to listen, and you will very probably find food for thought.
I had to learn Steal Your Heart and Unfamiliar Circumstances right away, Lovers In Love, Dalai Lama Song, Lately and Little Mama came next.
The players and the arrangements are top notch. It´s a pleasure to listen.
Steal Your Heart may be the best new song I have heard this year. Will be one of the very few non-originals on my next album.
It is always a very nice surprise to find new music of this caliber.
Congratulations, Martha Ann!
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“LATELY “:THE LAST MARTHA ANN BROOKS.

After the release of “Simply” in 2006, I was gripped by the Martha Ann’s thanks to Neil Young, who had placed in his website one of  the best tracks of the album, “When your soldier comes back home”, a piece against the war composed by the same Brooks for her husband.
The Montgomery artist is not only a musician who can write songs, but  she is also a painter as well as a poetess: Martha Ann is a woman who loves the life with its difficulties and passions, where love,  a tough feeling, is not exempt by 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 so 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 she let the natural passion drift herself away,  intimately handed over her own “Alter Ego”.
So 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 miscellany of different musical genres gained without worrying of  labelling or classifying, following the casualness of the moment.
Scoring the tracks you can encounter country ,folk, blues, rock, swing, pop and Americana which Martha defines clearly “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, the Brooks recalls Anne Murray gone by, 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 “Unfamiliar Circumstances” ballad.
Furthermore, “Little Mama” includes so much 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 swinging time “Dalai Lama Song” deals with a man who gives moments of true optimism, who can constantly  testify them by  his pleasant looking.
“Lately” is really  a great job, published two months ago and produced by Gary Farmer, an album that I would recommend it to the good music lovers.

Davide Frascella
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I have always been such a fan of Emily Lou Harris and Kathy Mattea.  When I first heard this album I could hear influences from these artists yet a unique talent of the artist's own creative way of moving your heart.  Each song is so unique and with messages that touch a place in your heart.  She has a way of relating to her listeners as if she knew each one of us.  I hope to see more music to come.
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