Martha Wainwright

As talented as her enormously gifted brother Rufus, Martha Wainwright’s self-titled debut album garnered critical acclaim earlier this year as well as a Best Emerging Artist nomination from the Americana Music Association. Wainwright has followed up that album with this five-song EP, which further showcases her remarkable voice. Sounding like shards of glass slicing through velvet, Wainwright’s voice lays bare her soul. Everything she feels is deeply felt, everything she sings comes from deep down in her guts. Wainwright’s intensely personal lyrics invite you to take a good long gander at her private pain and her messy emotions. Of particular note is "Bring Back My Heart” — her first recorded duet with her brother — a lovely semi-acoustic number that blends the siblings’ dissimilar voices into a dreamy, creamy custard. Intended as a nice, light digestif to her full-length debut, this EP really just whets the appetite for a second full helping of the female portion of the Wainwright family.