IN A NUTSHELL: As recently
demonstrated by Daniel and Natasha Bedingfield’s
quasi-incestuous duet at the Brits, we are justifiably
suspicious
when the sibling of a successful performer crawls
out of the woodwork. This is the eponymous debut
album by Martha Wainwright, the sister of current
flavour-of-the-month Rufus: will she succumb
to traditional pop sibling crapness (what experts
are calling Dannii Minogue Syndrome)?
WHAT’S IT
LIKE? Our fears are proved unfounded.
Wainwright has produced an understated but fiercely
individual, intelligent and interesting album,
variously influenced by country, folk and lo-fi
rock, with shades of Jeff Buckley, Kate Bush
and Beth Orton. Fortunately for all concerned,
the Guardian journalist who likened her to “Kelly
Osbourne singing Tammy Wynette” was clearly
insane and/or on drugs and/or had a bucket over
their head: apart from anything else, Wainwright
is actually (in stark contrast to Kelly) a brilliant
singer with a striking, consistently emotional
voice, throwing out angry, decidedly un-Wynette-esque
phrases such as “I wish I was born a man” and “I
heard her tits were higher than mine…And
she’s getting a degree in fucking you”.
It all makes a refreshing change, coming in the
wake of the recent glut of tedious singer/songwriters
of either gender.
HOW MANY GOOD TRACKS? Twelve, out of thirteen.
BEST TRACK: The mighty "Bloody Mother Fucking
Asshole", celebrated in these
cyber-pages last year as a brilliantly vicious song for the
dumped. Alas, we’ve since discovered it’s
actually about Wainwright’s dad, and specifically
his refusal to bankroll her while she was loafing...
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