MARTHA REDBONE: Home Of The Brave

Martha Redbone

Home Of The Brave

© 2001 Blackfeet (807889100124)

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Songs that bump and funk. Think and feel, with playaz and beats mixing soul, rock, funk and hiphop serving as the perfect backdrop to Martha's incredible voice, killer melodies and pointed words - a happy spirit, a wiser soul.

tracks

1 Intro
2 Vineyard
3 Say You Love Me
4 Underdog
5 Someday We'll Be Friends
6 House On The Moon
7 Boyfriend
8 Perfect Life
9 Free
10 Liar
11 Sarsaparilla
12 Heaven
13 Superman

notes

“Home of the Brave” is the magical debut album from 2001 of the now renowned Martha Redbone. A smart song-led brew of soul, funk, pop, rock, traditional native music and jazz featuring Redbone’s golden voice and funky, soulful stylings.

“Stunning, ” said Billboard, “a sharply drawn, wonderfully human collection of material….The New York-based artist vamps, purrs, and belts amid a series of tightly woven arrangements that contrast raw soul with pop gloss… ’Underdog’ is the kind of song on which multi-platinum careers are built …. This woman is a true original; the kind of artist who sets trends, as opposed to following them.” AllMusicGuide raved “If there were any justice in the music business, this emotional powerhouse of a singer/songwriter would be up there on the charts. Perfect blend of the old and new”, while Music Connection wrote “An ingenious aural tapestry”, others have enthused “Superstardom might not be too far for Redbone, so obviously ready for the limelight. Smart and strikingly tight, Home Of The Brave is original and delightful.” BlueCoupe “This record basically came out of thin air and blew the many fine efforts also waiting for a review out of the proverbial water. The words and vocal intonation are so pure and open that this record really belongs in a higher class than most that come across my desk”, IndieMusic “The future of funk and soul” NYRock, “Makes your eyes sparkle, your hips move and a slow lazy smile creep across your face.” Dayton Impact Weekly “A diagram of the American dream, infused with equal parts folksy guitar strum, Hendrix swagger and Stevie Wonder funk..It will be unjust if this isn’t Redbone’s final area appearance as an unknown rather than a superstar” Pittsburgh City Paper

“Home of the Brave” has won numerous awards including the 2002 Native American Music Award for Best Debut Artist and the inaugural Indian Summer Music Festival Award for Album of the Year in 2004 and since it’s wholly independent release Martha has gone on to perform all over the country and now internationally in 2006, With memorable appearances at many music festivals : the 2004 and 20005 New Orleans Jazz Festival, LEAF 2006, Indian Summer 2003 and 2006, Celebrate Brooklyn 2005, Belize Music Festival 2006, Planet Indigenous Toronto 2004, BAM RnB Fest 2003, One World Music Fest 2004, Alaska Fest 2004, the Denver Bronco’s Invesco Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the North American Indigenous Games 2006, two Gathering of Nations, Powwows from Yuma, AZ to Ute, CO, Philadelphia, MI to Cherokee, NC, Lac Viuex MI to Marksville LA, Minneapolis, MN to Santa Fe, NM and prestigious clubs Joe’s Pub, Mass Moca, Stephen’s Talkhouse, SOB’s, Ronnie Scots, the Jazz Café , Canal Opus, the Temple Bar from NYC to London to Paris to LA.

Her live show is described as “Nothing less than spectacular…scintillating, mind blowing, music expanding songs…clearly in a league of her own.” Amsterdam News, “Redbone’s performances are nonstop high-energy affairs featuring soulful Big Sky vocals and ecstatic dancing seasoned by the tightest, funkiest band imaginable. “ News From Indian Country “. In our opinion Martha Redbone deserves Alicia Keys level success. She has the deep funk to back up her soul queen image and live she brings a groove heavy power-house of a band” Time Out NY

Go to http:://www.myspace.com/martharedbonemusic for calendar
http://www.martharedbone.com for all news, pics and info.


Also check out Martha’s newest album “SKINTALK”.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/martharedbone2

reviews

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  • A breath of fresh air!
    author: James Milton

    All the songs are extremely original and well performed. There are 3 extremely outstanding songs, "Vineyard", "Perfect Life, and "Heaven". "Underdog" and "Superman" are also excellent. The rest of the songs are also of a very high standard and originality, both in content and performance. The album is fresh and well-balanced. There is no padding, all the songs belong.

  • Great cds
    author: Dalene

    You have some great singing and music on here, thanks

  • Excellent
    author: Karen

    I had heard about Martha Redbone in Native Peoples five years ago and finally got to hear her. While I am pleased with Home of the Brave, I love Skintalk even more. It is obvious to me that Redbone has matured and evolved as a songwriter since releasing Home of the Brave. The lyrics are for a much younger audience. With that said, it would be nice if young people could be listening to Redbone instead of Britteny Spears. Stylistically, Redbone combines pop and R & B with thoughtful lyrics. Lastly, if you are a fan of Martha Redbone and haven't gotten Skintalk, get it. It is amazing.

  • P-Funk meets Anastasia on a whole nother plateau
    author: Howard Priestley

    It was the sight of Junie Morrison's name that I first saw when wandering the web but the delights found on this CD were the true discovery. P-Funk meets Anastasia on a whole nother plateau but with one fresh ingredient, Martha Redbone. An uplifting uprising that leaves the listener humming those intricate litle melodies. As they say over here in the UK, "a little belter!!"

  • Its in there
    author: SirNature Alexander

    This is a deep collection of the Mpls sound updated with a lot of soul I'm truly impressed. hope we cross paths someday.

  • Starting an online radio station around 1/1/04 -can't wait to play MARTHA o
    author: Jada Greenway (amateur DJ)

    BOYFRIEND !!! NUFF SAID !!!

  • You are da bomb girlfriend!!!!!
    author: zoesmom

    i ordered this cd after watching her interview on cn8 and it is just wonderful. i have my cd walkman on repeat all of the time when home of the brave is in it. i litteraly listen to it all day long when i'm running errands. i am impressed with this remarkable work.

  • Funk is alive and well
    author: Mike D

    I bought this CD after hearing Martha being interviewed on the CN8 cable news show in the NY metro area. She did some impromptu singing during the interview, and I was blown away by her voice and her approach to her music. I think she's destined for great things, and recommend this CD highly (I've already ordered a 2nd copy as a gift).

  • Soul Sistah
    author: Larry Flick - Billboard Magazine

    In this business, it's often all about who you're compared to. Before hearing a note of diva-in-waiting Martha Redbone's stunning self-made disc, Home of the Brave, we were inundated with stylistic points of reference. "She's kinda like an earthbound Macy Gray, " one pundit said, while another favorably compared her to India.Arie. The bottom line? Redbone doesn't sound even a little like either artist. She sounds like herself; an R&B singer/tunesmith with an undeniable affection and affinity for classic soul sounds. She also has a remarkable flair for crafting pleasantly sticky, completely original jams. It's a rare treat to encounter an artist so confident in her vision and not susceptible to the narrowcasting ways of Svengali producers or the A & R execs who hire them. In short, Martha Redbone is an artist in the truest sense of the word. "I don't mind comparisons, because I believe that we're all working toward the same thing," Redbone says. "It's nice to be singled out, of course. But, in the end, we are all trying to put the melody back into soul music. That's a movement that needs every possible voice and songwriter. I'm proud to be part of that." Home of the Brave is more than merely another "neo-soul" recording, though. It's a sharply drawn, wonderfully human collection of material. Redbone doesn't assume an overly arty pose. Instead, she seems to revel in playing the everywoman, rendering each song emotionally accessible and believable. It's easy to embrace them, because the listener can interpret every word as truth. "I use my songs as a form of therapy," she says. "My songs come from different things or moments in time. I'll hear a phrase or a funny line that sticks in my mind; from there it will lead into a story based on experiences I've had or those of other people in my life." Do her friends mind hearing their personal lives unfold in Redbone's music? "Not at all," she says with a smile. "They love hearing themselves in my music. It makes them feel like they're part of something very important to me." And Home of the Brave is exactly that. Described by the New York-based artist as her life's blood, the set unfolds like a live gig, as she vamps, purrs, and belts amid a series of tightly woven arrangements that contrast raw soul with pop gloss. Throughout the recording-which she produced with longtime collaborator Aaron Whitby-Redbone is supported by such cream-of-the-crop musicians as Alan "AB" Burroughs (who has played with Miles Davis) and Jonathan Maron (Maxwell), among others. Since it started circulating roughly two months ago, an ardent fan base has begun to form. "There's a real vibe happening around this record," Redbone says, "People keep coming back to the gigs. That's the best evidence that we might be onto something good." Indeed. Fans are tapping into such tasty bits as the strummy, rock-etched "Liar," the retro-funk-flavored "Vineyard," and the cheeky, pop-splashed "Boyfriend," on which the artist tells the tale of a woman who discovers her man's bisexual tendencies. The centerpiece tune, however, in "Underdog," a gentle R&B/pop hybrid on which she builds from ain't-the-world-tough verses into a chorus that bursts with anthemic energy. It's the kind of song on which multi-platinum careers are built. "That song is so true to my heart," she says. "It encompasses all that I am. It's honest to the bone. I am the underdog. That can be a difficult way of life, but it makes you stronger. If you can keep from getting bitter, it can make success all the sweeter." With that, there's nothing more to say, other than it's time for a smart major-label exec to snap Redbone up and leave the comparisons to the wanna-bes. This woman is a true original; the kind of artist who sets trends, as opposed to following them.

  • Where have you been all my life?
    author: Michael Toland

    She may not be signed to a major or affiliated with Clive Davis, but Martha Redbone deserves to be in the front ranks of the neo-soul revival. Her debut album Home of the Brave has the warm, organic feel of a classic 70s R&B record, with real drums, bass, electric piano and—wait for it—guitars keeping the grooves undulating and the melodies flowing. Her voice possesses neither the gospel-nurtured firepower of an Aretha Franklin nor the gritty melodrama of an Otis Redding. Instead she favors a relaxed, dignified tone that's most reminiscent of the Spinners' great Phillip Wynne and as instantly appealing and comfortable as an old pillow. Best of all, the songs, co-written by Redbone and producer Aaron Whitby, are simply gems of craft and controlled passion, not to mention no small amount of wit. Check out "My Boyfriend," as the song's protagonist, prodded by Ernie Isleyesque guitar, suffers through a potential date's admission "I've got a boyfriend/But I kinda like girls too..." Her characters are also smart enough to question their romantic circumstances, from the protestation of "Don't say everyday there'll be roses in bloom" from "House on the Moon" to "If you knew that you could change the world/Would you really make it better?" from "Perfect Life." She's got brains, lungs, tunes and heart—fans of old-school soul will be asking themselves, "Where have you been all my life?"

  • The future of funk and soul
    author: NY Rock

    Let's start this month off with a collection of funk/soul tunes that seep under your skin and take hold. They also nod to the past, and look to the future. Redbone has a voice that singes when it needs to, or purrs like a kitten, well, if that kitten were Eartha Kitt. The dozen tunes here range from funky grooving, "Vineyard," to folky soul, "Underdog," to super bad, "Boyfriend," with its Isley-like liquid-fuzz guitar solo. Redbone's humor is evident in that last song as well, as she tells the tale of meeting a man at a Starbucks, only to find out he's gay. But a platonic relationship clicks until "I caught him wearing my dress, and looking better than me." Though the undercurrent is classic Sly and the Family Stone, Isley Brothers, Roberta Flack, etc. there are spots that point to the future of funk and soul. And apparently, it's in good hands.

  • Perfect balance of modern and old school textures
    author: Jonathan Widran AllMusicGuide

    If there were any justice in the music business, this emotional powerhouse of a retro-soul singer/songwriter would be up there on the charts with the Macy Grays, Sheryl Crows and Nikka Costas, to whom she's been compared by the critical media. Overall, there's a folksy warmth amidst the soulful textures, but the tune that's become her calling card is the more anthemic "Vineyard," which finds her vocals building over a bed of Fender Rhodes before exploding along with tight brass and a pitter patter of industrial percussion-honestly, the perfect balance of rich, vocal soul and modern and old school textures. Culturally, she's a mix of African American and Native American, and so her lyrical themes tend to gravitate to themes like "Underdog" when she's not finding unique ways to convey more conventional ideas like "Say You Love Me." She even skirts the teen market with a more adult approach to that fluffy style on the chorus to "Someday We'll Be Friends." Other songs also reflect her unique American heritage; "Free" has a funky Creole slant blended with hip hop beats and "Heaven" has the gospel flavors of her Southern childhood. Her songwriting in spots also shows a powerful social-minded wit, but it's the voice and production gumbo which draws you in.

  • Fresh, funky and fun
    author: Kimberly Hadsell

    I have to say, this is one talented lady. Her approach to each song is fresh, funky, and fun. Her voice is clear and strong, clearly a naturally talented vocalist. This recording was peppered with glimpses of many different vocal stylings all of which she carries well. A little Chaka Khan, a little Prince, even a little Tracey Chapman with Aretha and Patti Labelle as her mama and aunty. A wondrous trip through a funky, well produced recording is what I got when listening. With songs co-written and co-produced by the fantastic duo of Martha herself and partner Aaron Whitby, I was taken on an adult trip into their music. Adult meaning it is not dripping with the droning monotony of the R&B junk my ears are burdened with on our national radio waves. This is beautiful. Real. Reminiscent of the 70's and 80's R&B that actually meant something. Moving me in a soulful groove that had my head weaving, eyes closed, as I listened to each and every song on this album. No skipping, no scanning. There is not a song on this album that seems to not carry on the momentum from the moment you put this in your player. Thanks Martha and Aaron.This is most definitely a must buy for music lovers of most genres.

  • Soulful Pop
    author: Editor r4u

    Home of the Brave is stylish, sophisticated and sweet. It's a superb album that is easy to listen to from beginning to end. It's kind of R'n'B but very soulful and certainly accessible in a pop market. The songs are well crafted and very catchy. Even after the first play, the hook lines on tracks like 'Say You Love Me' are firmly embedded in your mind for the rest of the day. Other tracks such as 'Vineyard' and 'Perfect Life' are uplifting and full of melody. It's a refreshingly simple and original album that is brought to life by Martha's voice, which is unique, warm and full of depth.

  • Music for the people
    author: SoulJunkie

    Vibrant, uplifting, humourous, real and most of all, genre-less. "Home of the Brave" transcends any boundaries of soul, folk, rock and funk to appeal to all types and many generations as Martha guides the listener through stories of hope, heartbreak, anguish and courage. Particularly pleasing is the 'live' feel of her music with the use of real instruments and refusal to bow to any one specific trend. Standouts on the album, the MTV-friendly 'Someday We'll Be Friends' drawing on the funk alongside speaker-splitting guitar heavy choruses with consumate ease. 'Say You Love Me' is an excellently composed cheery track & almost reason enough on it's own to buy the album. 'Boyfriend' and it's humourous tale of 'female lusting over gay male' scenario slots effortlessly alongside songs like 'Free', a story of breaking free of the ghetto life and another sure-fire radio friendly, MTV-happy slow jam, 'Superman'. Each track, regardless of subject, emanates a positive message through self belief & a head held high attitude. The carefully crafted songs and top notch delivery ensures this is so.

  • A Rising Planet Settling Into The Universe
    author: Jon Paul

    Unfortunately, today we are rarely given innovative and thoughtful artist. The sacred title of "artist" is commonly associated with rudimentary talent(s)that could serve humanity in some better capacity. A welcomed change in this microwave era of music has risen to the surface, Martha Redbone. When listening to Ms.Redbone, I am immediately reminded of true "artistry". I hear a woman with something worth saying and equally worth listening to. The songs are insightful, well written in a nicely woven production of melodic movement, intriguing lyrical content, and superb musicianship. She's quite easy on the eyes if I may say so as well. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing more of Ms. Redbone. Should her writing continues to grow beyond her present state, it is quite possibly that we have a musical legend on our hands. Did I say she's fine too? Watch out a new planet is rising and taking shape! Peace Jon Paul

  • Lush songs for the liberated woman
    author: Cathy Dreyer

    Martha Redbone offers lush songs for the liberated woman. While Home of the Brave is Redbone's debut, it feels like a best-of album because she means every track. I have woken up singing Liar and at least once a day need my fix of Underdog. Boyfriend made me laugh out loud. Who hasn't been there? Someday we'll be friends has depths I have yet to plumb. This is a CD which repays repeated (constant) play with rippling layers of pleasure. The melodies just do it to me in my ears. The lyrics take for granted that we are all intelligent grown ups who have lived a lot. That's why we need to party and pray in equal measures. Thank you Martha.

  • I haven't got the record yet...
    author: Allison Joseph

    I just ordered this after hearing tracks on cdbaby and on Martha's web site--intelligent soul vibe, uplifting. Can't wait to hear it all!

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