Those who at one time toyed with the idea of becoming Tori Amos fans but ultimately rejected the idea (face facts: her music can be alienating) will want to throw out a life raft for Charlotte Martin who, with On Your Shor... more »e, manages to send Amos-like shivers up the spine without overblowing the oddball, quirky, I'm-so-complex stuff. The vibe throughout these 13 songs is pure Amos--piano-driven, dark, theatrical, sweepingly orchestral--but doses of Kate Bush-style button-pushing and Cure-modeled insouciance bump up the interest level. So does the songwriting. "You can't judge the love by the lover/The sky by its thunder," goes the opening verse of "Beautiful Life," and similarly contemplative concepts course through songs like the first single "Every Time It Rains," also a lyrical stunner. The sole cover here, a tender take on the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" presented as a bonus track, swats away doubts that Martin is a pour-it-on performer. Best of all is how this CD bodes for female singer/songwriters to come. Instead of dumbing down the songs and playing the pop tart or, worse, drowning us in a mellowness that makes us search for our own pulse, Martin's music probes the girl within. She gets us thinking, and without shunting us aside in the process. --Tammy La Gorce« less
Those who at one time toyed with the idea of becoming Tori Amos fans but ultimately rejected the idea (face facts: her music can be alienating) will want to throw out a life raft for Charlotte Martin who, with On Your Shore, manages to send Amos-like shivers up the spine without overblowing the oddball, quirky, I'm-so-complex stuff. The vibe throughout these 13 songs is pure Amos--piano-driven, dark, theatrical, sweepingly orchestral--but doses of Kate Bush-style button-pushing and Cure-modeled insouciance bump up the interest level. So does the songwriting. "You can't judge the love by the lover/The sky by its thunder," goes the opening verse of "Beautiful Life," and similarly contemplative concepts course through songs like the first single "Every Time It Rains," also a lyrical stunner. The sole cover here, a tender take on the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" presented as a bonus track, swats away doubts that Martin is a pour-it-on performer. Best of all is how this CD bodes for female singer/songwriters to come. Instead of dumbing down the songs and playing the pop tart or, worse, drowning us in a mellowness that makes us search for our own pulse, Martin's music probes the girl within. She gets us thinking, and without shunting us aside in the process. --Tammy La Gorce
Ian S. from PLEASANTON, CA Reviewed on 8/10/2013...
Love this CD. She has a truly beautiful voice, with compositions that highlight her talents. I picked this CD from an online recommendation for fans of Vienna Teng. She is quite similar in style. Like Vienna, she conveys her emotions through her voice, a rare ability nowdays. A few of the tracks lean a bit more towards pop than my taste, but others, like the title track, are wonderful singer-songwriter gems.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
A woman to watch
Ethan Straffin | Palo Alto, CA USA | 08/21/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The names in the "most gratefully" section of the liner notes to Charlotte Martin's full-length major-label debut say a mouthful: Howie Day, Kate Bush, Kevin Shields (of My Bloody Valentine fame), Pete Yorn, Peter Gabriel ("do you remember I auditioned to play piano for you"), and Tori Amos to name just a few. Indeed, if you rolled all these folks together, you might end up with something very much like _On Your Shore_. This is a good thing.
Kate's influence is arguably the strongest: both the rhythm section and vocal harmonies on "Limits of Our Love" are straight out of "Running Up That Hill," and it can't be an accident that Charlotte sings the title line of "Every Time It Rains" with the same cadence that Kate sings that same line in "Cloudbusting," and those are the two singles.
So far, I like Charlotte best when she rocks out. (In particular, the bridge sections of "On Your Shore" and "Madman" are stunners.) When she does the ballad thing...well, so far the results aren't quite up to Tori or Vienna Teng standards, but that's setting the bar awfully high. The notable exception to this rule is her gorgeous rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses": while I was never much of a Stones fan, this cover has me picking my jaw up off the floor.
As for the lyrics, it's evident that some folks don't think they're very good, and Charlotte herself has been heard to confess that she could use some improvement in this area. While it's true that she probably won't be getting published in poetry journals anytime soon, I don't think she's got anything to be embarrassed about, and a fair number of her turns of phrase are just plain fun. ("Chasing you around the room is tempting...")
While Charlotte may not yet have separated herself entirely from the pack, she's clearly well on her way. In fact, _On Your Shore_ gets beaten out only by Casey Stratton's _Standing at the Edge_ for my "most welcome debut by a singer-songwriter" award for 2004. Good stuff."
This CD has Copy Control
My Wall of CDs | 01/09/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This is a beautiful CD which, at least on the copy I received, includes anti-consumer copy control making transfer to your computer and iPod difficult.
Please encourage Amazon to disclose this on the product description the way that Amazon UK does.
_____________________
Update: To Amazon's credit, copy protected CDs are now clearly marked."
A true masterpiece
I. Abdullah | Los Angeles, CA | 08/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Perhaps you haven't heard about this captivating musician, because she is not as well-promoted as other young artists. However, I am certain that you will enjoy this album if you give it a chance. ANYONE can relate to life's challenges that Charlotte sings about such as: rejection, anguish, hope, and love. But Charlotte addresses these trials in a manner that distinguishes her from other artists.
Along with her angelic voice, Charlotte reveals her emotions by creating graphic images in the minds of her listeners. For example, in her song "Parade On" Charlotte sings, "She tried to stop a train for him without shoes..." Such powerful metaphors, illustrate the great sacrifices people make for those they care about.
In addition to her original songs, Charlotte recreates a tear-jerking version of "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones. With the way she pours her heart and soul into this classic, one would think this it is her own creation.
Discovering true musical talent is rare these days, but this is your opportunity to do just that! So please don't pass on this CD. :- ) The fact that Charlotte writes her own songs and creates her own music cannot be said enough. If you buy this album, I am sure you will not be disappointed. However, if you are still in doubt, just click on some of the sample tracks. For more information about this brilliant artist, please visit charlottemartin.com"
Strikes a chord every time
Juniper | New York | 08/12/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is simply incredible. While I understand the comparisons made of Charlotte Martin to Tori Amos or Kate Bush, I don't think she's just a clone, as some have argued. Every artist has takes inspiration from others, and Charlotte is still very much her own sound. Every song on this CD has, at one point or another, been exactly the song I needed at the time.
Highlights:
Every Time It Rains--Probably Charlotte's most well-known song, and for good reason. It's very powerful lyrically and it's well produced. It was great on "In Perentheses" but I think she's made it even better here.
Madman--This song has a unique sound, and the lyrics are just killer.
Up All Night--Shatters me.
Something Like A Hero--This feels to me like the crux of the album. It's unlike anything I've ever heard before.
Wild Horses--This beautifully showcases Charlotte's vocals and piano playing.
These are the highlights, but the whole CD is excellent. My only problem with it is that I feel she overused strings in the background, particularly on "Your Armor" and "On Your Shore" For better, sparser recordings of these, check out "In Perentheses" and "Veins"."