Martina's career started slowly as her first album (The time has come) did not sell in vast quantities. I did buy it - and I've been a huge fan of Martina's music ever since. Fortunately for me, Martina's second album contained Independence day, the song which really launched her career and ensured that she could continue to record high-quality music, culminating in this Greatest hits collection, which contains all the essentials.
Martina has a big voice and uses it to great effect on all types of song. Many of her hits are upbeat, happy songs, typical of modern country music. There are still people who think country music is full of sad songs with not much cheer - such people should listen to some modern country - very different from the way things once were.
Happy girl (from her fourth album, Evolution, the one that really confirmed her as a major star) is not only typical of the songs Martina records - it also describes herself. Other great upbeat songs include I love you, My baby loves me and Whatever you say. Even in modern country, there is still room for the occasional sad song, represented here by Concrete angel and Love is the only house. Despite these songs, the overall feel of the album is upbeat. Stranger was not released as a single, but has become popular with fans, so it was included instead of Cheap whiskey, a minor hit from her first album. It's a pity they didn't include both.
Martina made some of the best pop-country music of the nineties and had some success in the American pop charts while maintaining her credibility with country fans.