Martina Mcbride - Waking Up Laughing
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Free Music Notes for Waking Up Laughing
Free Music Review: Martina at her best
Hit: 5 Stars
"Waking Up Laughing" is quite simply the finest CD of original material that Martina has ever released, and, in many ways, the most "personal" collection of songs she has ever sang. Martina produced the CD, co-wrote three of the songs on the CD, and many of the songs that she didn't write seem almost autobiographical.
The highlight of the CD is "Anyway," a song that features Martina's trademark powerhouse vocals, and the message that we should pursue our dreams, loving others, and doing right, regardless of the consequences. This song, co-written by Martina, has an eloquent response to those critics of her CD: "You can pour your soul out singin' a song you believe in, That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang. Sing it Anyway. Yeah, sing it anyway."
Martina has always seemed to be a lady who has a balance to her life, with her career not coming ahead of her family, and "I'll Still Be Me" speaks to that balance. She seems to be singing to her husband John when she gently and with emotion calls herself "just a normal girl from small town nowhere" who will always be there and who will "still be the mommy of our babies." Some critics have unfairly and inaccurately claimed Martina is just a "screamer"-as she sings those lyrics, she does so with restraint, grace and beauty.
"Love Land" is a marvelously touching song about a young pregnant girl, who hurriedly marries, only to later lose the unborn child. For the longest time she blames herself, but the song ends with she and her husband celebrating the third birthday of a son and her thanking God for blessing her, and telling her husband that "Anywhere you hold my hand is Love Land."
Martina's duet with Keith Urban in "Tryin' To Find A Reason" is spare and honest: "Maybe it's just time to walk away, If you're tryin' to find a reason, tryin' to find a reason to stay."
"Beautiful Again", co-written by Martina, is a song of parental abandonment, child abuse, unwed motherhood---and yet of hope and optimism, again conveyed in a caring and sensitive manner.
"House of a Thousand Dreams" tells of a husband and father, so discouraged by his inability to give his wife and children all he thinks they need materially, while his wife and son tell of their appreciation for him and their house of a thousand dreams.
"How I Feel", the third song co-written by Martina, sets forth her love of life, of her husband, and of "standin' up for what you believe"-throughout the CD Martina does exactly that. This is the song that features the line about "waking up laughing" that gives the CD its title.
"For These Times" is a song about the uncertainites and struggles all of us face in these times, and how to "hold up a light" for others.
There is not a bad song on this CD. It is Martina McBride at her very finest. A five star CD.
Free Music Review: Finally She's Back!
Hit: 5 Stars
While I know many fans enjoyed "Timeless", I thought that was a huge waste of Martina's talents. Not to mention, I hate that old formulaic same-same stuff they did back in the day. She made it tolerable to hear, but I'm glad to have her back doing what Martina does best and I enjoy most. I know there are a lot of idiots that come on and trash people just for the sake of trashing people, and normally I don't let it get to me. But one recent reviewer actually had the gall to call this a snoozefest. And I'm skeptical as to whether that reviewer has even heard the album after complaining that Martina screams. Martina has a beautiful voice with an incredible range that she uses both powerfully and softly on this album. In fact, this is her most tender album with beautiful maturity and emotion. The vocals are mastered with terrific warmth and clarity. Anyone reading the review who has ever heard Martina knows to dismiss that review completely. Hopefully someone reading these reviews who isn't as familiar with Martina will see the vast number of positive reviews and also ignore an idiotic review like that.
I recommend listening to this loud enough that you can really hear the vocals, since Martina did a great job with production. She extracts every ounce of emotion in these songs. My favorite track is one that normally I wouldn't like because I don't usually enjoy songs with an irregular tempo. The last track, Love Land, is just beautifully done. It doesn't really rhyme for most of it, and as I mentioned the tempo is very irregular. It's almost like a freestyle poem with music playing in the background. But it's a bittersweet story with an ultimately uplifting message, sung with control and passion. "Anyway" is pure Martina, and is also one of my favorites. There are so many good songs (though at only 11 tracks it's a bit short) that it's easier to pick my LEAST favorite. "Beautiful Again" is still a decent performance, but the music is so not my style, more bluegrass and a little singsongy for my taste. She sings it well, I just can't give it more than 7 out of 10. Every other track for me is 9.5 to 10 out of 10. On her "Martina" album the clunker song was "Reluctant Daughter". Seems even a gifted artist and song selector like Martina takes a misstep once on each album. But this is still a five star album from a 5.5 star performer. Way to go Martina! I hope we get lots of singles from this one.
Free Music Review: I suspect that some reviewers didn't actually listen to this CD
Hit: 5 Stars
So many negative reviews. "Oh, the songs aren't as good as her old songs. Oh, she's too loud. Oh, it's over-produced. Oh, Oh, Oh." Give me a BREAK. It's 41 minutes of a voice belonging to a woman so gifted that I've just got to sit here and laugh at the cheap shots showing up in these reviews. The first track..."If I Had Your Name"...a perfect opener, catchy, perfect windows-rolled-down, volume-turned-up road music. "Cry Cry (Till The Sun Shines)"...sort of a Martina-Meets-Mellencamp heartland rocker. "Tryin' To Find A Reason"...a nice, tranquil track. "For These Times"...another track that balances subtlety with power. She's got a powerful voice, folks, and she uses it. Why wouldn't she? "Anyway"...sweet, sad, heartfelt, one of her originals (written with Brad and Brett Warren), and a word or two for her critics: "You can pour your soul out singin' a song you believe in, that tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang...sing it anyway." Touche. "How I Feel"...OK, maybe this one got a little over-produced. Her recent live performance of it on the April 4th "Imus In The Morning" show (yes, the same day he said the words that ended his career) was more streamlined and organic, but it's still a killer track with vocals and and overall vibe very reminiscent of Rosanne Cash. "I'll Still Be Me"...more fragile emotion and nuance for the people who say that this album is lacking in nuance. Here, Martina brings her voice down to a whisper as she sings about being "a normal girl from Small Town, Nowhere." The next track, "Beautiful Again," gets a little bluegrass-twangy and sounds like it's aiming for heavy radio play. "Everybody Does" is another stylistic nod to Roseanne Cash (it's particularly reminiscent of her electric guitar-driven work with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on "Rhythm & Romance"). "House Of A Thousand Dreams" lowers the volume again and is another Mellencamp-style "working man with broken dreams" song. The closing track, "Love Land," could have come from the pen of Don Henley. Flip the gender in the lyrics and it's a page right out of his book. So there you have it...I don't know what the fuss is all about. Maybe some people feel disappointed by this album, but I'm not one of them.Free Music Review: Martina's best cd in a long time....
Hit: 5 Stars
This is for sure Martina's best cd in a long time. Although "Timeless" (Her 2005 cd) was good, "Waking up Laughing" is classic Martina: pop-country songs done perfectly. Many subjects are reflected in this cd: Marriage, Love, Babies, heartbreak, and the world around us. On "Cry Cry ('Til the Sun shines)" Martina sings about life's hardships, and how we're all trying to get by. The song "I'll Still Be Me" reflects Martina's marriage, and how she strives to continue to be the same person she has always been despite the fame and riches that have come her way. On
"For These Times" Martina talks about how "the sound of someone's hearbreak is a soundbite at the newsbreak", a song that truly shows how our world is now, and how we must all show love for one another. Other songs such as "Beautiful Again" and "Love Land" reflect pregnancy outside of marriage with vastly different outcomes. And heartbreak songs "Tryin' to find a reason" and "Everybody does" show that sometimes you have to just let go, and that everyone hurts at the end of a relationship. Martina sings wonderfully on this cd, and you can hear many hits on this album. This album is a must-have for any Martina fan!
Choice tracks:
Cry, Cry ('till the sun shines)
Tryin' to find a reason
How I feel
I'll still be me
Beautiful Again
Love Land
Free Music Review: Just Great!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Once again, Martina has made a great album!!!!....Suprisingly, the first single really doesn't show what the entire album is like...to me, this album has a very organic sound....it's one of those cd's that is perfect for riding in the car with...Every track is good.....My fav's are "If I had Your Name", "Tryin' To Find A Reason, "For These Times", "Anyway", "How I feel", "Everybody Does" and "House Of A Thousand Dreams"....that is not to say the reamining tracks are not good..they are all awesome...I read another review asking where the powerhouse vocals were?!?!...they are still here...just in moderation...i'll be the first to admit i love to hear Martina belt it out on songs like "Broken Wing" and "How Far" which is my fav martina song....but everybody knows that the girl has pipes..she doesn't have to show it on every song...It's also nice to see a different side to her voice..but the power house is still there throughout....just not going as high on notes as she does on others...but again, the album is great...Major kudos to her on solo producing the album...Martina is truly gifted in many aspects of her music..from the vocals, obviously, to the writing and producing..."Waking Up Laughing" is to me the most creative and inventive album she's done and well worth buying!