Brighton's best...
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Martha Wainwright...
review As if being serenaded by confessional singer songwriter Rufus Wainwright wasn’t enough, his sister Martha has now taken the stand with her soft, woozy voice that has the power to melt even the hearts of the emotionally numb. Born to both musically involved parents, it seemed only a matter of time before Martha took to the stage, breathing her soft words of love and confusion.Martha’s childhood was surrounded by music – being the daughter of both successful musicians Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, and brother to critically acclaimed Rufus Wainwright. Performing her whole life, she contributed a track to The McGarrigle Hour in 1998, as well as providing both recorded and live backing for her brother Rufus throughout his career. With her EP, Martha stunned audiences at her ability not only to write, but perform vocally with no training ("I had no classical training, but I had angst and heartbreak and fantastic music all around me. What more could I need?") With porcelain legs and wondrous open-toe heels, Martha looks the part of a star before she even opens her mouth. Although Martha describes her songs as "a little melodramatic", she hopes that people don’t see them as just this, because to her they’re a little more – even "hopeful". And it’s true – Martha’s lyrics are melancholy, cluttered with confusion over life and love. Her confessional lyrical style (much like brother Rufus’) perhaps deals with what we are universally afraid of – the loss of love, the confusion that is life, and the concept that only time can heal. Martha’s heart-on-sleeve manner echoes through her performance. During songs such as Don’t Forget, which clearly addresses a relationship loss without bitterness, she sings "Don't forget that I will always love you / Just a reminder to help you pave your pathway". The way the sweat trickles across Martha's brow and her face contorts as she performs, it's as though she's reliving the pain of her lyrics on stage. In fact this is apparent in the majority of her tracks – an archive of deep, intensely moving lyrics hit high notes that quake the venue (and undeniably the hearts of her listeners). Perhaps this is an act of catharsis for Martha – a method of sharing her pain with others... a musical self-therapy that helps both us and her to heal. Although lyrically exposed, her hair soft and voice vulnerable, Martha’s stance is by no means weak. She embodies strength and weakness simultaneously, the characters of a true survivor. After being in the shadows of Rufus for many years, it seems Martha may have finally found her light. Martha Wainwright’s self-titled album is out now.
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