Monday, May 16, 2005

martha wainwright



if ‘bloody mother fucking asshole’ is really about her father then martha wainwright might have written the pop music equivalent of sylvia plaths’ daddy. bitter, sharp, angry, edgy - on first listening the album seems miles away from the lush melodrama of her brothers’ work. while rufus’ world is one of beautiful boys, hazy morning-afters and sinful pleasures, marthas’ is one of messy heartbreaks, desperate desires and the violent urge to define herself directly and honestly.

on multiple listenings however, they are closer than i thought- though marthas’ sources are somewhat different- country and folk rock- while rufus sources everything from classical music to big band- the faith in the pop song as a work of art stays the same. the crafted arrangements, the careful wordplay and the brilliant singing.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

her voice is lovely...i heard this album last year.
liked it,
but hated,and still dont like the BMFA song too much.
only an elliot smith or a tupac,and maybe some of the 90's grunge acts.. theyre the only ones that make the word fuck sound like it fits.

Anonymous said...

ok i went through archives to look for this post.

okok, so you're right about her.
:)

i now want to marry her.
i love each and every song.
i even like the verses of BMFA if not the chorus,something about it stilltunes me out.
i only dont like ball and chain.
allthe other songs are exquisite.

the song about her being a better talker than a lover,when you touch her down there...youllsee that she doesnt love you ...
man.......!!!
lots of lines from lots of songs.
and that voice....