Ray Martin

The desire to reconcile rock & roll with the traditional pop music that preceded it must have been a powerful one; judging from the many bizarre fusions that appeared in the late '50s. Ray Martin's Rockin' Strings is one such attempt, adding a snare drum and prominent electric guitar to the kind of "wall-of-strings" instrumental pop music associated with Mantovani and 101 Strings (they, too, toyed with this formula at various times). Rockin' Strings succeeds in infusing orchestral pop with snappy rhythms and a rock edge, but who cares? Pop fans don't want the rock elements and rockers don't want the massed strings. The songs are all pop oldies, some of which had a veneer of hipness thanks to then-recent hit versions of "Blueberry Hill," and "Who's Sorry Now?" Open-minded listeners, or those with perverse senses of humor, will find Rockin' Strings a palatable platter, and one of the better experiments of its type. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide