Last week the second studio album by musician and songwriter Marta Grigales was released, or simply Marta – I can’t even believe it’s only been two years since the release of her first full album “Things that happen in my head”, but so much happened in that time! In total, nine songs plus an interlude with her husband, percussionist Kaspars Grigali, including “Smuggling of Love” which aired on the radio (was included on the album as number one), “Therapia” and “The film I don “do not want to see” created in the context of the Ukrainian war.
The album was made in collaboration with the associates and music producers of singer JJ Lush (Jānis Jachmenkins) and DJ Rudd (Rūdolfs Budze), who performed vocal recording, production, mixing and mastering work. “Writing songs is my therapy and it’s important for me to be honest with the listeners and myself, otherwise the therapy doesn’t work and I’m just not interested. Therefore, the album only includes true stories about what hurts me, what I desire and for which I strive, what makes me happy, what I have felt and experienced “, says Marta.
It should be noted that the visual design of the album and also of the previously released singles “Dabas prasanes” was created by the artist Rinalda Feldmane, integrating the photos of Mika Užanas with drawings inspired by music. And also – it will be possible to hear Marta’s new album in a live performance at several special concerts in the spring, but KK von Strick’s mansion was chosen as the first meeting place on 12 April.
PAR. The honesty proposed by Marta in relation to herself and to the listeners is not just empty words: you can hear the truth of what she says in her songs and you cannot help but sympathize with it. For example, the aforementioned “Film” with her moving mood and her lyrics, which fully reveal the mood of the singer while creating this song. The reviewer, however, would put the still unflappable, energetic and danceable “Therapy” first, as well as the playfully challenging “Smuggling of Love”. The energetic “Kurš kuru” is also a good match for the latter, which is sure to go viral if only because of its divisive text.
I agree with DJ Rudd who, commenting on his long musical collaboration with Marta, says: “When I look at the artists I work with, it is important for me to see their growth, so it is a great pleasure for me to know that Marta continues to follow. its own path and I think it is heading in the right direction, towards challenges and new creative horizons. “The melodically beautiful” Jāņtarpiņi “and / or” Paper Airplanes “could serve as the best heralds of the” new way of Marta “. Sincere, romantic , sometimes childish, but – true and from the heart, that’s how Marta feels right now, and that’s what she’s singing about.
VERSUS. It cannot be said that Marta’s new album is a disappointment, but subjectively something more was expected from her. It seems the singer at the moment is still swinging between wildly energetic, danceable pop music (they were more in “Things”) and the image of a grown-up, mature woman, but we’d still like to expect more musical nastiness from her – maybe she doesn’t. has it at all, so it is not necessary to expect it?
Dreamy romance gets in the way sometimes, even a couple of songs still seem to “miss the box office”. For example, even the presentation of the album during the live performance of “Jubileja” made the confused reviewer shrug. Even the title song, which got stuck at the very end of the album, after the touching “Film”, where it is completely lost, but would hardly catch on with anything else. Although… “[Dziesmas “Dabas parādība”] the concept and the lyrics are deep and touching, about the inner essence and complex emotional algorithm of women, “commented a singer in a private conversation about this song. Well, what do we rough old men understand from women’s complex emotional algorithm, to those who are gifted with this algorithm will surely enjoy the whole album much more …
