Search - Billie Ray Martin :: Where Fools Rush in

Great CD from a Great Talent

CJ Sanders | Los Angeles | 06/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No one sings like this lady. Each time you listen to one of her songs, she reveals something new. Like Shara Nelson, Natlie Merchant, Bono, and a few other rare singers, Billie Ray seems to delight as much in the sound and shape of words as their meanings. This is a great collection of songs, each one gorgeously produced. I've been playing it constantly at the office, and countless people have popped their head in to ask, "Who IS that?""

Brilliant record

youngbradford | san Franscico | 06/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With a voice that is half torch and twang and half memphis soul, Billie Ray Martin sings the modern day blues, complete with horn section and electronic elements. recorded in Memphis and her native Germany, the album is a combination of her two loves memphis soul and electronic/dance. Standouts include the drum and bass kick of Systems of Silence, the guitar twang and longing voice of the first single I've Never Been To Memphis, the roasing title track, a duet with Ann Peebles(I Can't Stand the Rain), and the a cover of Elton John's Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, which she performs in such a way you hair stands up on end. Where Fools Rush In is a tribute to Motown and Ashford and Simpson, and on Anyone Will Do for a Heartache, anyone ever crushed by a relationship will know how she feels. The lyrics are poetic, the song structure complex, each new listen yields another hidden surprise. The mark of a good ablum is that it gets more enjoyable with each listen. This is one of those rare treats.The most underrated performer in the world, billie's voice is simply breath taking. The closest comparison can be drawn to Aretha. Ther woman behind the band Electribe 101 and the huge house record Your Loving Arms has created an album that drips with her blood and soul. I don't know if anything so powerful has ever been recorded"

Spectacular piece of work!

J. Ahern | Gainesville, FL United States | 12/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's such a shame that this wasn't released in the US domestically, but then again, in a world where mediocre-talented teenage pop divas (errrm...Lindsay Lohan and Ashlee Simpson) are getting their million dollar contracts, would Americans appreciate Billie Ray Martin and her album '18 Carat Garbage'?? Probably not, and it's too bad, cuz she is very much underrated as an artist.



I know this artist from her main house hits "Your Loving Arms" (1996) and "Honey" (2000-01 I'm not real sure). But then I found this album on iTunes for $9.99......this is by far the most eclectic album I've heard in years. Along with that unmistakeably soulful blues voice, she intends to infuse electronica/drum-n-bass with motown/'Elvis' rock/and some elements of country. It's an odd mix but it definitely works.



Stand out tracks are 'Captain Drag'...it's a slower paced electronica song with elements of motown. She's really in touch with her gay side (if there is one). 'Crime of Passion' is a fast-paced drum-n-bass track- highly recommmended. Then, there are some tracks that are not 'dance' at all; for instance, like '18 Carat Garbage', 'Ten Minutes on a Tues Afternoon in Buffalo', and 'Legends that Die.' These tracks have more of a 'country blues-ish' feel to them, it's interesting to hear the transition she makes from one genre to the other, and she pulls it off nicely. All the tracks are pretty good in their own way....just listen to the whole album with an open mind, as someone like BRM is easy to dismiss as she's not a mainstream artist with a familiar history of hits.



I only wish I had the physical copy so I could see if lyrics are in there. I guess physical albums (as opposed to digital downloads) are still good for some things, but I saved about $30 on the iTunes copy."