We Meet Again

AMG Review of We Meet Again

Andrew Hamilton
All Music Guide

As post-Motown Martha Reeves albums go, this one's OK. The title signifies Martha's reunion with former Motown producer Henry Cosby (who, in reality, played an insignificant role in her Motown success). Fantasy gave Martha more creative control than she had enjoyed at Motown, allowing her to pen four of the eight songs here. But for some reason, ex-Motown producers, with few exceptions, lose their magic after leaving Berry-land. "Free Again" and "Love Don't Come No Stronger" are adequate dance numbers, but poor sisters to Martha's Motown stuff, and the three ballads are merely decent. Cosby failed to properly capture Martha's reedy soprano; at Motown it was full and vibrant, while at other companies it's thin and shrill. Maybe it's the studio, the musicians, the mastering, who knows? Whatever the reason, Martha Reeves' post-Motown recordings have been less than scintillating.