Martha Wash (album)

Martha Wash is the debut self-titled solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Martha Wash. It was released on February 23, 1993 through RCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 1992 at several studios, after leaving her then-group The Weather Girls. The tracks in the album are a mixture of uptempo songs and ballads, which are basically inspired by R&B and house genres; it also features elements of soul and pop music. The album produced two US Billboard Dance chart number-one singles: "Carry On" and "Give It to You", and a top-ten single "Runaround".

Martha Wash
Studio album by
Martha Wash
ReleasedFebruary 23, 1993
Recorded1992
Genre
Length63:25
LabelRCA
Producer
Martha Wash chronology
Martha Wash
(1993)		 Something Good
(2013)
Singles from Martha Wash
  1. "Carry On"
    Released: October 30, 1992
  2. "Give It to You"
    Released: January 8, 1993
  3. "Runaround"
    Released: May 10, 1993
  4. "So Whatcha Gonna Do"
    Released: December 3, 1993

Reception

Critical
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[2]

In an Allmusic review, Alex Henderson notes that 'Martha Wash's work with the Weather Girls and Black Box was so strong that one couldn't help but greet this debut solo album with high expectations'. Henderson praised the 'dance-floor gems on the album (including "Things We Do for Love," "Leave a Light On" and the soaring "Carry On")' but wrote that 'most of the tracks fall under the heading of decent but not outstanding.' Describing Wash as a 'big-voiced diva', he noted 'album has more going for it than most of the faceless, soundalike releases flooding the urban contemporary market in 1992, but Wash is capable of so much more.'[1]

In Entertainment Weekly, David Browne also praised Wash's voice, expressing 'Martha Wash’s voice is diva incarnate, a big, lusty tornado that’s like Patti LaBelle without the bombast' but also expressed disappointment, writing 'stretched out over Martha Wash, an album of generic beats and rhyme-by-numbers material, she’s merely Zelma Davis with chops'.[2]

Commercial

Martha Wash peaked at number one-hundred-and-sixty-nine on the US Billboard 200, where it spent a total of 2 weeks. More successful on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, it spent a total of 10 weeks and peaked at number forty-two.[3][4]

Singles

The album spawned two consecutive number one hits on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart; "Carry On" and "Give it to You", which each spent a total of 13 weeks on the chart.[5] Though "Carry On" failed to appear on the US Hot 100 and its ninety-seven peak on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart remains her lowest, the single experienced warmer reception in Europe where it was a top 10 hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number seven. "Carry On" also reached the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart.[6][7]

"Give It to You" endured greater success in the US, reaching the top 50 of the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with a number forty-eight peak and spending a total of 12 weeks on the chart. Furthermore, the single rose to number ninety on the Hot 100 and was also Wash' first and only appearance on the Radio Songs chart, where it peaked at seventy-five.[8] "Give it to You" also bettered its predecessor's showing in the UK, where it peaked at thirty-seven.[9][10]

"Runaround" was the last charting single released from the album. It became Wash's third consecutive top ten hit on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it spent a total of 9 weeks and third top 50 appearance on the UK Singles Chart.[5][7]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Someone Who Believes In You" (Prelude)Gerry Goffin, Carole KingBrian Alexander Morgan1:44
2."So Whatcha Gonna Do"Todd TerryTodd Terry4:55
3."Give It To You"Brian Alexander MorganBrian Alexander Morgan3:49
4."Runaround"Eric Robinson, Todd TerryTodd Terry4:41
5."Now That You're Gone"Brian Alexander MorganTodd Terry6:15
6."Things We Do For Love"Brian Alexander MorganBrian Alexander Morgan4:25
7."Just Us (Dancin')"Eric Robinson, Victor OrsbornTodd Terry2:33
8."Leave A Light On"Alexandra Forbes, Eric Beall, Steve SkinnerAlexandra Forbes, Eric Beall, Steve Skinner and "The Basement Boys"4:22
9."Carry On"Eric BeallEric Beall, Steve Skinner4:17
10."Someone Who Believes In You"Gerry Goffin, Carole KingBrian Alexander Morgan3:54
11."Hold On (Part I)"Andy Wright, Eric RobinsonEric Robinson3:49
12."Hold On (Part II)"Eric Robinson, Frank CollinsEric Robinson4:59
13."When It's My Heart"David Grigsby, Harvey HugesBrian Alexander Morgan4:06
14."Just Us (Singin')"Eric Robinson, Victor OrsbornTodd Terry3:26
Total length:63:25

Personnel

Credits obtained from the album's liner notes.[11][12]

Charts
Chart (1992) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[3] 169
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[4] 42

References
  1. Henderson, Alex. "Martha Wash - Martha Wash". Allmusic. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  2. Browne, David (January 22, 1993). "Martha Wash". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  3. "Martha Wash Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  4. "Martha Wash Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  5. "Martha Wash – Chart history (Hot Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  6. "NLD Charts > Martha Wash". MegaCharts. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  7. "UK Charts > Martha Wash". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  8. "Martha Wash – Chart history (Radio Songs)". Billboard.com/Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  9. "Martha Wash – Chart history (R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  10. "Martha Wash – Chart history (Hot 100)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  11. Martha Wash (CD booklet). Martha Wash. BMG Music, RCA Records. 1992.CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. "Martha Wash - Martha Wash". Discogs. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
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