Martha Wainwright, wildly original songwriter and chanteuse extraordinaire hits Australia for her first national concert tour in September 2005. With growing international acclaim from music media and warm endorsement from fellow New York songstress Norah Jones, Martha’s shows are destined to be a series of special evenings. Martha’s well publicised musical heritage includes wunderkind brother Rufus, mother and aunt folk legends Kate & Anna McGarrigle, and much loved songwriter father Loudon Wainwright III. As such, she certainly had her work cut out for her. But with a wonderful and startling debut album under her belt, Martha has exceeded any associated expectations. She is a breath of fresh air as she meshes her bold, adventurous and blazingly honest songwriting with her signature emphatic, fierce vocal performances. Martha clearly walks her own path –a path that courts the timeless serenity and grace of folk music while spiking it with a decidedly contemporary intensity. The self title album, Martha Wainwright, released via Rounder/Zoe Records and through Shock in Australia, is a welcome revelation, as enchanting as it is thrilling. As Bernard Zuel from the Sydney Morning Herald illustrates, “This album is not short of songs which have big pop hooks and melodies to lodge with you."These Flowers", "Don't Forget" positively ache, "The Maker" (with brother Rufus on harmony) shimmers and if you can listen to " Factory" and not sigh contentedly, you clearly have shut down your ears and heart.”

And the accolades keep on coming. Rolling Stone described “songs of drone rock and wailing folk and confessional cabaret. (Asking) the next shit-hot songwriter?”The Guardian said, “She has avoided emulating either her parents or bro Rufus, and manages to elude most of the clichés of female singer-songwriterhood. Her songs are tough and earthy, hating mere prettiness when fieriness or forcefulness are required.”

So don’t delay –secure your tickets before it’s too late. And in case you were wondering whether Martha Wainwright’s songs translate to the stage, here’s what UK music bible the NME had to say about a recent live performance. “Demanding whiskey, cigarettes and nothing less than rapture from the audience, her feline voice runs through the lovingly sweet "Factory" to the heady feminism of "Don't Forget" with kitten purrs and lion roars.
" www.marthawainwright.com"

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT
SEPTEMBER Friday 9th Sept The Gov'

Her debut proves tough to second guess, it’s acoustic guitar and piano-led folk, rock and country…soothing, strident or Joplin-raw by turns, her voice pilots unchained melodies. This is special, multi-layered stuff. The Wainwright musical dynasty is Godzilla-like, Tokyo will be crushed.” Mojo Magazine