release date: Apr. 12, 2005
format: cd (Special Edition)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Brad Albetta, Martha Wainwright
label: Drowned In Sound Recordings - nationality: Canada
Track highlights: 1. "Far Away" - 2. "Factory" - 5. "Ball & Chain" - 7. "This Life" - 8. "When The Day Is Short" - 9. "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" (live 2014) (live 2018) - 14. "Bring Back My Heart"
Studio album debut by Martha Wainwright - or: her official debut. In 1997 she made a 10-track cassette, which is not usually counted among her albums. The album also follows a couple of ep releases, the latest of which is the 4-track ep Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole (Jan. 2005), where the title track is included here. Several tracks are taken from her first two EP releases: the title track is from Factory (1999) and the two tracks "G.P.T" and "Don't Forget" are from the ep Martha Wainwright (1999), and the latter is also on her '97 -cartridge. Thus, her debut album contains four out of thirteen tracks from previous releases.
The music is kept in a traditional folk and singer / songwriter style and is thus quite close to the musical characteristics of her parents. Martha is the daughter of folk and singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and folk vocalist Kate McGarrigle. Older brother Rufus is perhaps the family's best-known voice.
The album was well received, but did not garner much commercial acclaim. In turn, Martha Wainwright was nominated New Artist of the Year 2006 at the Juno Award.
Track #9 "B.M.F.A." is Martha's greeting to her father...
Martha writes and sings in an American singer / songwriter tradition where, in addition to her parents, you're reminded of Emmylou Harris and especially Joni Mitchell.
It's a good and solid album that is mostly quite promising, as it contains some really good tracks and then overall perhaps isn't super original but still possess enough magic not be overlooked.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]
