Nancy Martinez - Lay It Down (1983), Not Just The Girl Next Door (1986), Unpredictable (1989) & Bird's In The House (1997) QUADRUPLE POST!!!!

I'm sure anyone who visits this blog is aware of the powerhouse vocal talent of Nancy Martinez.  Indeed, she has had a long and successful career in pop music, but she hasn't been in the spotlight for some time.  While I have seen a couple of her albums posted in other places on the internet, I haven't seen all of her English pop albums in one place, so I decided to feature them in my second quadruple post of the year!  There are plenty of places on the internet that discuss her career, but I'll still give a (not so) brief synopsis.  Nancy grew up Montreal and had an interest in music at a young age, thanks to her musical parents.  As a child she attended music school as a pianist and started taking vocal lessons.  In high school she moved from singing at small local gigs to recording jingles and performing background vocals for popular French-Canadian artists like Nathalie and René Simard.  During a session with disco artist Kat Mandu, Nancy was approached by the label to sign as a solo artist.  Nancy was initially uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and asked that they not use her real name.  She released two euro-disco singles in 1982, "I'm Gonna Get Your Love" as Jade, and "Can't Believe" as Nancy Martin (note that in the video clip of the "live" performance, a model is lip-synching, since Nancy did not want to appear in promotions for the single).  Both were international club hits, and Nancy released two more singles under the monikers the next year, "Who Cares" as Jade, and "Hold Your Horses Baby" as Nancy Martin.  With this success it was time to step into the spotlight, and Nancy signed an album deal with Matra Records using her real name.  She released her first single as Nancy Martinez, "So Excited", also in 1983.  Her album, Lay It Down, soon followed, as did her next single, "Take It Slowly".  Thanks to the production of successful Canadian disco/hiNRG producer Joe La Greca (who later produced the albums by Isle postees Natasha and Pobi), the tracks were successes in clubs.  She released two last, non-album singles in 1984 for Matra: "Number Two In Love" and the medley "Sunshine Reggae / La Vie En Rose", the former a remake of the Laid Back song, which was a duet with her then-husband Allen Harris, and the latter a remake of the Edith Piaf classic.  "Sunshine Reggae" became her biggest hit in Canada thus far.  It was time for Nancy to pursue international success now that she was more comfortable in the spotlight, and she signed with Atlantic Records for worldwide distribution.  This time working with hiNRG/freestyle producer Teneen Ali, she updated her sound, and her first single, "For Tonight", became a huge hit and an instant freestyle classic in 1986.  The song even hit #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the dance chart.  Her album Not Just The Girl Next Door followed, and her follow-up single, "Move Out", managed to hit #12 on the dance chart.  The third single, the much more traditional pop track "Crazy Love", failed to chart, however.  There were plans to release the freestyle song "It Happens All The Time", but the original group L.I.F.E. released it first.  And though the non-album Atlantic single "Can't Wait" hit #17 on the Billboard dance chart in 1987, her contract with Atlantic ended.  Luckily A&M sublabel Vendetta snatched her up, and again working with Teneen Ali, she crafted another dance album, Unpredictable, released in 1989.  Unfortunately none of the singles - the poppy "You've Got Me On Fire", the hiNRG "Save Your Love For Me", or the ballad "Everlasting" - found much success, though the remixed "(Fire) You've Got Me On Fire" was a minor dance hit.  No longer with Vendetta, Nancy decided to sign with Canadian label ISBA and record her first French album, the self-titled Nancy Martinez, released in 1990, which included the single "Tomber Sous Les Mots".  She released her second and last French album for ISBA, Pourquoi Tu Pars?, in 1993, which was produced by legendary Canadian rocker Aldo Nova, who had long admired her and even asked her to sing the demo of the song "I Love You", which would eventually be recorded by Céline Dion on her Falling Into You album (on which Nancy did prominent backing vocals on the song "Your Light" - and Isle fans will also be interested to know that she also did backing vocals in 1988 on Isle postee Sequal's track "Took Another Chance").  Her biggest French single was "La Maîtresse De Tes Rêve", which Isle fans will also be interested to know is a cover of Isle postee West End Girls' "Anything To Make You Mine".  Over the following years Nancy kept a much lower profile, occasionally doing guest vocals.  Then, in 1997, she returned with an independently released English album, Bird's In The House.  Though I adore Nancy's dance music past, this album is by far my fave, and it's very rare so I had to share.  She switched to pop-rock and was much more involved in the writing, and the album was produced by John Farley, who also worked with Isle postees Sonia Papp and Pobi.  The album is pure perfection from start to finish.  She released the singles "Jack", "Fire" and "I'm In Heat", and though none were major hits, it was great having her back in the spotlight.  She soon again faded from the public eye, but in 2000, Nancy returned to dance music with the Europe-only release "For The First Time".  Four years later she surprised everyone by switching direction again and releasing the jazz standards album Downtown, and also featured on the K-Maro hip-hop track "Crazy".  She followed it up the next year with Live At The House Of Jazz, and also released the reggae influenced French single "Laisse-moi Te Donner" and a duet with Denis Ducharme, "Wouldn't It Be Nice". In 2005 she returned to dance music as the featured vocalist on MC Mario's "Not Guilty".  Since then Nancy has kept busy doing guest vocals, performing locally, and teaching music and voice.  Luckily she finally emerged on Facebook, where you can keep up to date on her current goings-on and view amazing rare clips.  This bodes well for some new and amazing material from one of the best and most diverse voices in the business.

Download Lay It Down

1	Take It Slowly
2	Lay It Down
3	We Got The Real Thing
4	So Excited
5	Right Here By My Side
6	The Love You Made Me Feel

Video for For Tonight

Live performance of Move Out

Download Not Just The Girl Next Door

1	For Tonight
2	Move Out
3	It Happens All The Time
4	I'll Be There
5	In The Heat Of The Night
6	Hurt Me Twice (Shame On You)
7	Crazy Love
8	Without You
9	Rhythm Of Your Heart

 
Download Unpredictable

1	You've Got Me On Fire
2	Save Your Love For Me
3	Unpredictable
4	Make A Move On Me
5	First Impression
6	Everlasting
7	I Will Make It Up
8	I Believe In You & Me
9	How Many Times
10	Got Something On My Mind

Video for Fire

Download Bird's In The House

1	I Can't Wait
2	It Ain't Right
3	Jack
4	Fire
5	Getting Over You
6	How Low Can You Go
7	Don't You Call Me Anymore
8	Looking For A Rainbow
9	I'm In Heat
10	Highway
11	Without You
12	Living In The Gray

The Coconuts - Don't Take My Coconuts (1983) & Killer Bees (1991)

So it only makes sense to do a post on the two albums released by the Coconuts, after last week's Boomerang post.  And thanks to Isle visitor Vance, I can!  He had and kindly shared the very rare second album Killer Bees, and for that I'm eternally grateful! :) There isn't really much to add in terms of info on the group, as I pretty much covered their history in the Boomerang post.  The original Coconuts from Kid Creole & The Coconuts were Adriana Kaegi, Cheryl Poirier and Taryn Hagey. (Note: While Kid Creole's entire band was also supposed to be considered part of 'The Coconuts', the ladies themselves were most commonly believed to be the sole owners of the moniker.)  With the group's success, the ladies were encouraged by Kid Creole aka August Darnell to record an album of their own, and they were quickly signed by EMI.  Darnell took over writing and producing duties, and included one of his previous singles, "Don't Take My Coconuts", on the album to help boost it, even though the ladies don't appear on the track.  As a result, the album wasn't much of a departure from Kid Creole & The Coconuts music other than that the ladies' vocals were featured more prominently.  Their first single was "Did You Have To Love Me Like You Did", and it managed to reach #60 in the UK charts.  The two follow-up singles, "Ticket To The Tropics" and "If I Only Had A Brain" (which was a take on the Scarecrow's song from The Wizard Of Oz), failed to chart and the ladies returned to back-up duties for Kid Creole.  Then, when the ladies wanted to pursue an independent career as Boomerang in 1985, Taryn Hagey decided not to be a part of it and left Kid Creole And The Coconuts as well.  After Boomerang failed to make any impact, Adriana and Cheryl returned to Kid Creole & The Coconuts, and Taryn was replaced by Swede Janique Svedberg.  The three ladies continued with the group until 1991, when their second Coconuts album was released - but on Darnell's indie Creole label, and only in Japan.  The album was executive produced by Darnell, but the sound was less tropical and much poppier (if still quite eclectic).  By then Kid Creole & The Coconuts' popularity was fading, however, and Killer Bees went unnoticed. Soon after, Adriana and Janique left Kid Creole & The Coconuts for good, and Cheryl didn't last too much longer.  Darnell enlisted other ladies to take their place and they still record and tour as Kid Creole & The Coconuts.  While Adriana's time with the group was mostly positive and resulted in a varied entertainment career, including the making of a documentary on her time with the group, Janique ended up with a severe drug addiction.  After overcoming it, she studied extensively about addiction and has become a very successful interventionist and life coach.  She has also starred in the reality show Swedish Housewives Of New York, a Swedish version of the popular Bravo Real Housewives franchise.

Video for Did You Have To Love Me Like You Did

Performance of Did You Have To Love Me Like You Did

Download Don't Take My Coconuts

1		Don't Take My Coconuts
2		Naughty Boy
3		Maladie D'Amour
4		Ticket To The Tropics
5		Indiscreet
6		Kriminal-Tango
7		Did You Have ToLove Me Like You Did
8		If I Only Had A Brain
9		The Glory That Was Eden

 Download Killer Bees

1		Double On Back
2		My Hero
3		How Long Can You Live Alone?
4		Happiness
5		Standing Tall
6		Killer Bees
7		Dacquiri, Dacquira
8		The Men I Meet!
9		You're Great When You're Straight
10		Fashion

Girls Can't Help It - Pure Wild (1983)

Here we have another treat from Robert, who noticed this on my want list and was gracious enough to send it my way. Thanks so much! This is not a proper album, as it only has five tracks, but I know that you all will love it so I had to share! It is the oldest entry on the Isle so far, dating way back to 1983. But the sound is timeless! Girl's Can't Help It were a British trio formed by producers Colin Campsie and George McFarlane. What makes this especially interesting, and perfect for the Isle, is that these producers make up the duo of Giant Steps, whose album was featured here some time ago! The group originally consisted of aspiring model/actresses Belinda (Billie) Adams, Katy Lynne and American Peggy Sue Fender (who at the time of formation was married to Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, who would die the same year). They released the single "Baby Doll" on Virgin in 1982 and it was a minor dance hit internationally. This led to a deal with Sire Records for a mini-album. Katy Lynne and Peggy Sue left before the album was released and were replaced with aspiring model/actresses Jacqueline Bucknell and Samantha Spencer-Lane, who was formerly one of Hill's Angels on The Benny Hill Show. She was also part of pop trio Casablanca, who released one single, also in 1983, called "With Love". The album contained very funky synth-pop, much more similar to the sound of funk girl groups of the time like Mary Jane Girls and Vanity 6 than pop groups like Bananarama or The Belle Stars, which is what people expected them to sound like, being white British girls and all. Though the mini-album was well received by critics. the second single, "Rhythm Of The Jungle", went unnoticed and the girls were dropped and disbanded before making a full album. Samantha returned to The Benny Hill Show for a few episodes and continued acting in television and film. Jacqueline went on to be a 'hostess' on the British version of the game show The Price Is Right from 1984 to 1986. She also kept acting in television and film and in 2003 married British soap star Brian Capron, with whom she owns and operates a corporate entertainment company. As is often the case for artists on here, the whereabouts of Billie and Katy Lynne remain unknown. On an interesting side-note, in 1985 Campsie & McFarlane worked with British singer Haywoode and she recorded her own version (which they also produced) of the album track "Jelly Baby" for her album Arrival. ;)

Download Pure Wild

1		Rhythm Of The Jungle
2		Jelly Baby
3		X Marks The Spot
4		Girls Can't Help It
5		Baby Doll