Ah little Marta Marrero. Or something. Back in 1989, when I was firmly in my Debbie-Kylie-Tiffany loving phase, I thought that listening to the likes of Martika (and JJ's Rhythm Nation 1814) made me slightly edgy and cool. I was wrong (as a story in a minute will prove) but hey both of Martika's albums were a lot of fun. Her epononymous debut album was spilling over with latin infused pop songs, estefan-inspired ballads and of course the song that catapulted her to world wide fame, Toy Soldiers. An anthemic song about the dangers of drugs, it stood in stark contrast to the upbeat pop that littered the rest of her debut. Highlights include singles More Than You Know and a great energetic cover of I Feel The Earth Move. A perhaps too soon cover of Cross My Heart and the bonkersosity of Tarzan & Jane were also fun diversions into frothy pop :) It was second album Martika's Kitchen that gave me the sense great things could come from this woman. Granted, the first two singles (and highlight tracks) were written by Prince, but there were plenty of other jewels in the pantry. First single Love Thy Will Be Done was a slow building gospel driven track with no discernable chorus that stuck in my head for weeks and weeks. The second single and title track couldn't have been more different – a funky sexually charged dance number with clever lyrics and brassy backing. Just to prove how cool and edgy I was at this time, I was dancing to this song at a Mormon disco (ooo!) and literally dance-acted out the "kick kick kicking out the latest jams" line only to have my shoe fly off my foot and clonk Mandy Hill on the noggin. Le Shame. Other highlight tracks included the slightly rocky and wordy and insanely catchy Temptation, the cute Coloured Kisses, the dreamy Take Me To Forever and languid Safe In The Arms of Love. All of which could easily have been singles, but by then the album had tragically bombed and the record company were not interested in any further promotion. It seemed that would be the last of Martika. Some demos from around 2001 did leak on the web – of the mixed bunch, Journey and are the best (and all are available for your own inspection in zip file below), but for me, it's better to remember Martika at the peak of her game…
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LINK: Buy Martika's greatest hits
DOWNLOAD: Martika's 2001 demos zipfile
MP3: Martika – I Feel The Earth Move
MP3: Martika – Love…thy will be done
MP3: Martika – Martika's Kitchen
