Waking Up Laughing

There are some artists whose albums I buy without even hearing a note. Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw and especially TRACE ADKINS, TRAVIS TRITT and RANDY TRAVIS. There are very few female artists who I buy as I usually only end up liking 2-3 tracks. Martina McBride is changing that and becoming one of those artists who I automatically buy.Here in NZ we don't have country radio stations so we don't get to hear new tracks and artists unless we do so online (which I do). In some ways this is great because we don't hear songs thrashed until all the meaning and life have been wrung out of them.Having said all that, Waking up crying is a great CD. I played it through 4 times without skipping through any tracks. I loved every track. Although 1 or 2 were a bit "poppy" it just shows Martina's versatility. My all time favourites are I'll still be me, Love land, House of a thousand dreams and of course the track Anyway which gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.5++ for this album which will not disappoint new and old fansKia ora

I like Martina McBride however this album (with a few exceptions) was not what I expected. I saw the album being sold in Christian bookstores so I thought (especially after hearing the cut "Anyway") that it would be an inspirational/Christian/Gospel album. I was a little dissapointed with the content in that regard.I don't think this album belongs in Christian bookstores. I wish that she would have done a consistently spiritual/inspirational album with other tracks along the lines of Anyway. But, otherwise it is a good album. And of course...SHE CAN SING!!!!

So many negative reviews. "Oh, the songs aren't as good as her old songs. Oh, she's too loud. Oh, it's over-produced. Oh, Oh, Oh." Give me a BREAK. It's 41 minutes of a voice belonging to a woman so gifted that I've just got to sit here and laugh at the cheap shots showing up in these reviews. The first track..."If I Had Your Name"...a perfect opener, catchy, perfect windows-rolled-down, volume-turned-up road music. "Cry Cry (Till The Sun Shines)"...sort of a Martina-Meets-Mellencamp heartland rocker. "Tryin' To Find A Reason"...a nice, tranquil track. "For These Times"...another track that balances subtlety with power. She's got a powerful voice, folks, and she uses it. Why wouldn't she? "Anyway"...sweet, sad, heartfelt, one of her originals (written with Brad and Brett Warren), and a word or two for her critics: "You can pour your soul out singin' a song you believe in, that tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang...sing it anyway." Touche. "How I Feel"...OK, maybe this one got a little over-produced. Her recent live performance of it on the April 4th "Imus In The Morning" show (yes, the same day he said the words that ended his career) was more streamlined and organic, but it's still a killer track with vocals and and overall vibe very reminiscent of Rosanne Cash. "I'll Still Be Me"...more fragile emotion and nuance for the people who say that this album is lacking in nuance. Here, Martina brings her voice down to a whisper as she sings about being "a normal girl from Small Town, Nowhere." The next track, "Beautiful Again," gets a little bluegrass-twangy and sounds like it's aiming for heavy radio play. "Everybody Does" is another stylistic nod to Roseanne Cash (it's particularly reminiscent of her electric guitar-driven work with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on "Rhythm & Romance"). "House Of A Thousand Dreams" lowers the volume again and is another Mellencamp-style "working man with broken dreams" song. The closing track, "Love Land," could have come from the pen of Don Henley. Flip the gender in the lyrics and it's a page right out of his book. So there you have it...I don't know what the fuss is all about. Maybe some people feel disappointed by this album, but I'm not one of them.

Martina is generally regarded as being one of the top vocalists of any genre today. With Waking Up Laughing, she has chosen 11 outstanding songs with powerful positive messages. She delivers those songs with flawless vocals brilliantly produced with everything from light accoustics to full orchestra's. She delivers the most complete and listenable CDs in recent memory. This CD will run you through a whole range of emotions.From the title of one of Waking Up's songs ... Martina is "Beautiful Again"

I like Martina McBride, I'll start with that. However, I had never had any burning desire to purchase one of her CD's before. This CD was a beautiful surprise. As each song unfolded I discovered new favorites. The music is thoughtful, thought provoking and easy to listen to. I thought "I'd Still Be Me" was my favorite until I got to "Love Land"...but then I had to listen to them all over again and still couldn't decide which was the best.

What an amazing new CD and a new adventure for the woman that is known as "being so tiny, she can't be much bigger than eyes and lungs" Her ability to find the just right songs is only second to her amazing ability to sing them and make you absolutely KNOW she feels them as she is singing them. When she is singing Anyway, you believe her. It would seem to be her mantra. And I, for one, am glad she lives by it.

This is a great CD from Martina. All the songs provide very good listening. I loved the CD the first time it played through (unlike some others that had many songs that had to 'grow on me'). It's easy to see why Martina is one of the favorite female country artists of our time. If you liked her previous hits, you'll love this new album.

Martina McBride is one of those artists we can count on to produce a quality album. I especially like the fact that she is not trying to mix gospel with country, as many C&W singers seem determined to do. This is an upbeat album, as its title suggests; we have enough depressing stuff on the news!

Fun

This cd is very catchy and arrived on time and in condition as stated. I have only recently started to listen to Martina and she has a beautiful and versatile voice.

THE CD ARRIVED AS USUAL ON TIME AND THE PACKAGING WAS VERY GOOD.I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS WOMEN BEFORE BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THATI WILL BE PURCHASING MORE OF HER CD'S

Another great cd from this artist ! very happy.

She Cold Have Done A Lot Of Great Albums. But as so Often In This Branch. It seems To Hard To handel it. Sorry.