A seismic leap forward from her promising self-titled debut album,
IKYMBIGFT should put Martha up where she belongs; with her supremely talented maverick sibling, brother Rufus, at the forefront of a vanguard of acerbic lyricists that aren’t afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves no matter how uncomfortable it can make the listener. These are artists that are connecting with their audience on a level of influence especially with the disenfranchised, which, in this era of political apathy sets the stall for an emotional rescue all the more potent between writer and audience. With famous, hard working musicians as parents (Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle) the atmosphere in the homestead must have been chaotic, exhilarating, frustrating, inspiring and unsettling so it’s no surprise the siblings are not short of verbal firepower but as their musical voyages thread in increasingly dangerous waters with age the more complete they become as artists. Martha’s muse is less gala that that of her brother’s but the inner attributes of feistiness and honesty that she constantly projects sparkle just as brightly as any gown in Rufus’ wardrobe. The title of her sophomore album leaves no one in any doubt that this lady is no pushover but its not all muscle on display as Wainwright’s tender moments balance out the vitriol that bubbles under the surface, all sung in a voice that imagines Dolly Parton taking Route 66 West to Los Angeles instead of Eastward. Bleeding All Over You opens in acoustic mode, mining country motifs with emotional punch before Martha rocks out on the MOR-ish Coming Home Tonight, which jars slightly with the mood of the record especially the Following Tower: a torch song thriller of sweeping strings and haunting melody. This stand-out track introduces a darker edge that is perpetuated on the gorgeously melodramatic Jesus And Mary, an off kilter gem beating with an electronic pulse that brings a sacrilegious blood flow to its sinister heart. Other highlights include the swinging riverbed rock ‘n’ roll of The George Song where Rufus angelically guests on the gospel like chorus, the sparse, flowing beauty of Niger River and her frothy take on Pink Floyds psychedelic masterpiece See Emily Play which manages to let some steam out of the pressure cooker atmosphere elsewhere. Recommended.
