Marta Ren's retro-soul soundness transports us, right at the start, to a wh… Read Full Bio ↴Marta Ren's retro-soul soundness transports us, right at the start, to a whole universe of American soul that makes the opening of this note in English inevitable. There are 12 compositions (+ a wonderful extra) where the groove is a lady of all work that asks to stop, look and listen, where Marta's voice is the queen of a style that melts, which makes us warm to the rhythm of genuine soul who lives in your soul.

No. Marta is not a newcomer to these music issues. For more than 15 years he has been touring the music scene, first with the Sloppy Joe and then in the Bombazines where he has consolidated his exquisite old-school talent. And why old guard? Because what we hear here is undoubtedly an irreproachable album of the most classic soul, leading the specialized international critics to surrender, as by these Mutant bands, to the voice, music and image of Marta Ren in her longed for album of "Stop> Look> Listen": "A welcome addition to the upper echelon of the retro funk scene" Wax Poetics Magazine USA; "Porto's princess Marta Ren & The Groovelvets slams down her letter of intent with this brash, bristling and very exciting debut. Basically it's just what the doctor ordered! (...) her time is now! "Blues And-Soul Mag UK; "Outstanding album, big in 2016!" The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show BBC6, among many more.

The work comes to us with a presentation that is a sum of what it mirrors - "there is no Soul if there is no life. Full life. Highs and lows. Enthusiasm and disillusionment. Loves and betrayals. Life lived. And as Martha herself says in one of her great songs, it is not possible to give Soul body without an unshakable belief, a rapturous honesty and an attitude without limits ". Marta Ren is a voice in the lyric and voice that transports us to other times, with a heterogeneous set of original compositions that make us jump from the chair with a fast pace or move smoothly to the sound of the ballad. From Groove Funk's "Release Me" to the strength of the ballad "So Long", nothing leaves us indifferent to this (new) serious case of national music, a Martha who, without fear, warns that "I'm Not Your Regular Woman "(singular version of the obscure song of Lucille Mathis). And it is not. It is surprising and to have it in sight. "Summer'gone" and "2 Kind of Men", singles that have long filled our ears, were announcing what was going on and Marta Ren did not disappoint and did not disappoint. is only two-hit singles. It's an album that leaves us with "Smilling Faces", it's a strong work, in its entirety, that will make us talk today and beyond.

A warm, well-aged voice (or Ren did not sound like the great voices of American soul that marked the 1960s) that joins a very respectable and indispensable set of Grooves - Sérgio Marques (bass); Hugo Danin (drums); Bruno Macedo (guitar); Sérgio Alves (keyboards); Manu Idhra (percussion); Paulo Gravato (baritone saxophone); João Martins (saxophone tenor / alto saxophone); Rui Pedro Silva (trumpet); José Silva (trumpet) and João Sêco (trombone) - in an album full of groove, soul, funk, music that brings us to the times of genuinely created soul, with contemporary spices and a unique timbre.

No more needless verbiage, without saying what is obvious music to the song, "> Stop> Look> Listen" is a must have album. Marta Ren & The Groovelvets a sound to retain and not lose sight.

Smiling Faces
Marta Ren & The Groovelvets Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I still had a lot to speak and say
But you choose to look The other way
And i just hope
You'll understand someday
This feels worse than a betrayal

Whenever you come around
Smilling faces,just faces

Even when you turn around
Smilling faces, just faces
Whenever you showed around
Smilling faces,just faces,just faces,just faces

There is nothing left for me to say
Now you choose to walk the other way
Just can get enough of love this days
If it's true love,true love
Don't runaway

Whenever you come around
Smilling faces,just faces
Even when you turn around
Smilling faces, just faces

Goes around, Comes around
Smilling faces,just faces,just faces,just faces

Overall Meaning

The song "Smiling Faces" by Marta Ren & The Groovelvets is a soulful and emotional piece that expresses the pain the singer feels about being ignored and betrayed by a close friend or lover. The singer wants to express their thoughts and feelings, but their attempts are met with indifference or avoidance by the other person. The singer hopes that one day, the other person will understand the hurt they have caused. The phrase "this feels worse than a betrayal" suggests that the singer feels deeply hurt and disappointed by the other person's actions.

The repeated phrase "smiling faces" in the chorus suggests that the other person is putting on a facade, pretending that everything is okay when in reality they are hurting the singer. The contrast between the happy appearance and the underlying pain is highlighted with the lyrics "Even when you turn around, smiling faces, just faces", indicating that even when the person is turning away from the singer, they continue to present a happy persona. The line "Goes around, comes around" suggests that the other person's actions will catch up to them eventually and they may experience similar pain.

Overall, "Smiling Faces" is a heart-wrenching song that conveys the hurt and betrayal felt by the singer. The lyrics, paired with the soulful music, make for a powerful and emotional experience for the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

I still had a lot to speak and say
I had many words and thoughts to share with you, but you decided not to listen and ignored me.

But you choose to look The other way
You decided to not pay attention to what I had to say.

And i just hope You'll understand someday
I hope that one day you will realize the importance of what I wanted to say to you.

This feels worse than a betrayal
Ignoring me feels like you have betrayed me.

Whenever you come around Smilling faces,just faces
Whenever you are present, everyone seems happy and joyful, even if it's just an act.

Even when you turn around Smilling faces, just faces
Even when you leave, people still pretend to be happy and friendly.

Whenever you showed around Smilling faces,just faces,just faces,just faces
Every time you appear, people put on fake smiles and show a false sense of happiness.

There is nothing left for me to say Now you choose to walk the other way
I have nothing left to say to you, and now you have decided to avoid me completely.

Just can get enough of love this days If it's true love,true love Don't runaway
It's hard to find real love these days, so if we have true love, we should not let it go.

Goes around, Comes around Smilling faces,just faces,just faces,just faces
What goes around comes around, and everyone will eventually have to face their true emotions, even if they pretend to be happy all the time.

Writer(s): Marta Campos, Tiago Novo, Sergio Marques, Bruno Silva

Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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