Janis Martin - The Female Elvis: Complete Recordings, 1956-60 (1987)

Artist: Janis Martin

Album: The Female Elvis: Complete Recordings, 1956-60

Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly

Released: 1956-1960 [1987]

***

Thirty songs, and not a loser in the bunch. This little lady rocks -- hard -- and she doesn't start to slow down until 21 songs in. The best is sort of like Elvis' early RCA sides, only better, mixed with some wildness that makes one wonder if Sun Records wouldn't have been a better home for her. As it happens, Martin is a good enough singer that even the slow ballads like "Cry Guitar" and "One More Year to Go" come off well -- she had a rich, strong, slightly throaty voice that would have allowed her to make it in country music, or even pop (check out the Duke Ellington-authored "Squeeze Me") as easily as rock & roll, if that was what she wanted. What's more, she could write songs as well, and that was pretty rare for female performers of the time; her originals here compare pretty favorably with standards like "Ooby Dooby." "Blues Keep Calling" is a hot number in any discography.

AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder

Tracklist

1 Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll

2 Will You Willyum

3 Love and Kisses

4 My Boy Elvis

5 Cracker Jack

6 Bang Bang

7 Ooby Dooby

8 Barefoot Baby

9 Good Love

10 Little Bit

11 Two Long Years

12 All Right, Baby

13 Billy Boy, My Billy Boy

14 Let's Elope Baby

15 Love Me Love

16 Love Me to Pieces

17 William

18 Here Today and Gone Tomorrow

19 Teen Street

20 Hard Times Ahead

21 Cry Guitar

22 Just Squeeze Me

23 One More Year to Go

24 Blues Keep Calling

25 Please Be My Love

26 I Don't Hurt Anymore

27 Half Loved

28 My Confession

29 I'll Never Be Free

30 Love Me Love (Cha Cha)

FLAC (tracks)