Comments on: Martins album coming in September?

By: Quaid

Quaid — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:22:47 +0000

Humm… I have not heard that part, but that’s a good point Jenn.
Partially related, I was looking at an old Singing News issue today which had a short newsclip saying that Judy was singing country-gospel with a band backing her up.
Yet another issue had an ad from a booking agency (I think it was Dominion, but don’t quote me on that) showing that they scheduled Jonathan bookings as a soloist.
Matt, I do hope this future project has songs like “You Saved Me” and “May We Never Forget”. Those are phenominal. Gotta mention songs like “In The Presence of Jehovah” and “Stars Below”.
Also ,mix it with arrangements of some old songs like “No Not One”, songs with the quallity of “He’ll Be Holding His Own”, “Count Your Blessings”, Except for Grace”, “Sing Me Home”, “The Promise”, and their jaw dropping accapellas. Their versions of “He Leadeth Me” and “The Lord’s Prayer” are the best each song could possiably be performed.
Can anyone tell I was a Martins fan?
A Gaither Video of them singing “He Leadeth Me” got me permanently hooked. The project “Dream Big” was the first southern gospel studio recording I heard , and left me wanting more.
Since their music back in the mid 1990’s was my first exposure to southern gospel, they will always be a special group to me.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:26:23 +0000

If Joyce is no longer a part of the Martins why are they coming out with another album? is Melissa Brady going to sing on it then?

By: Kyle

Kyle — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:41:42 +0000

It would be VERY wise for New Haven to grab the Martins if they can. New Haven has been around for years (the first I remember hearing about them was a Chronicle “Live” CD we bought back in ‘91), but they haven’t been in the SG loop for a while until Gold City.

They’ve proven they have the power (and the quality) to compete with the best of them, and they have the Provident (which was once upon a time, Benson) distribution behind them.

I think the reshaping of the labels recently has been quite interesting….

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:36:29 +0000

On the compilation thought–good point.

By: Chris Unthank

Chris Unthank — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:35:47 +0000

New Haven has a history of releasing compilations of groups who have never been on their label – so it’s possible that that is one of those recordings.

However, The Martins recorded an album with Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) producing last summer. This could be that release as well.

We’ll see!

By: Matt Baker

Matt Baker — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:22:26 +0000

i think the Martins have a sound all their own… there really is no other artist to compare them identically to. i would like to see some a capella arrangements of some hymn medleys on this new album, because we all know nobody does a capella like the Martins did it. I would also expect to see a lot of Joyce’s songs on it, although they seem like the kind of group that can easily adapt to other songs, like the Gaither Vocal Band does. they take familiar songs and put a GVB touch on it. My guess is the Martins will do the same… I could hear them doing some country-southern gospel, and then doing some black choir gospel, and then some slow ballad type song (see “You Saved Me” from the “Windows” album, or “May We Never Forget”) , then mix it with a fast praise song, and end it all with a killer a capella hymn melody… I should be a producer! LOL

By: Wes

Wes — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:38:40 +0000

Quaid,

It’s a bit more acoustic than the “Everything Good” version, a bit more stripped down instrumentally. Vocally it’s similar, Harris doesn’t add in the grace notes on the “it is done..” section that Phelps did. Also, they have a children’s choir singing the counterpoint melody that Phelps did on the later version. The original fades out with just the kids singing their part after the Vocal Band has dropped out.

Melodically it may be the same, but the arrangement is quite a bit different. I like both versions, honestly, and I can’t say which one I like better. It would depend on how I was holding my mouth at the time you asked me.

By: Quaid

Quaid — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:54:47 +0000

Wes,
How does the original version of “Alpha and Omega” compare to the cut on “Everything Good”?
I’d be very interested in hearing the Martins record that song on the new forthcomming project.

By: Grigs

Grigs — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:48:55 +0000

The Singing Americans recorded “Dream On” with Scott Whitener featured. The album was released in 1988 and I think the title was “Sing Out”. It was really good, too.

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:55:22 +0000

Neat. I’ve wanted to find some of the original GVB/NGVB projects for a while now, but haven’t found any good deals yet.