I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too

We’ve got feelings, too as well as Martha Wainwright with her new album “I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too”.  Officially releasing tomorrow in UK, Australia – May 13th, Germany – May 23rd, all Europe – May 26th, Canada – June 3rd, USA – June 10.

Martha’s debut album “Martha Wainwright” (2005) was definitely a huge success, and if anything should remind you of Martha if you can’t remember now, I am sure you’d recall the song “Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole” or Snow Patrol’s “Set The Fire To The Third Bar” where she sung together with Gary Lightbody.

With her new album, Martha touches new sounds that strike your emotions, give you pimples and you can indulge in lyrics that make you wonder if she really sings what you feel. Her voice is strong, it’s sexy and goes the way that you shake your head if it’s even possible to sing in such an interesting way. 

“The title sums up my dark humour. Plus it’s an homage to a few good men and women that I’ve loved at one time or another. After all, these people never go away. You end up loving them for life” she says.

This album is definitely my favorite, even after only one listen. The lyrics are brilliant, touching, and not too obvious albeit understandable.

Her title song from the album is probably the album opener “Bleeding All Over You“. The title of the album appears in this song 

My heart was made for bleeding all over you 
And I know you’re married but I’ve got feelings too 
And I still love you

Accompanied by great guitars, perfect background vocals during the chorus, nice unique sounds; make Martha’s voice instantaneously awesome. 

The second song “You Cheated Me” continues in the cinematic streak that I’ve noticed in some albums, when artists create songs that have different moods but somehow follow up one another with similar unifying idea. 
She wrote it in 10 minutes so it belongs to the songs that are best when written in the exact moment of inspiration in the candle light. The chorus is catchy, you’ll end up singing it during the first listen, even if nobody has ever been there to cheat on you. The ending is just brilliant, closing it up with a strophe that touched me deeply and then goes back to chorus that wraps up another brilliant song.

When all the bills have been unrolled 
And your story has been untold 
Tell me if it was worth it 
To see the whole damn thing unfold 

You cheated me and I can’t believe it 
I’ve been calling since 4 o’clock last night 
You cheated me and I can’t believe it 
I saw you singing and dancing in the rain 
On the way home 

Behind the lyrics, I see her asking us all the question whether all the pleasures of life have ever been worth it when the whole damn thing had been unfold. Her answer is vague, my answer is “yes”. For life takes us through throngs of shallow people that may take away the splendor of the world; reality makes us tipsy and we talk the way as we were giving an oration; we make a consent with the devil of virtue and our conceit render the enchantment of the beauty. But then our ventures ravish our bodies and reveal new desire behind the other, intensify our emotions; our words conceal our feelings and our moans reveal them; and we are taken to the decent kitsch, put onto a safe canvas where no color ever runs where every stroke is accepted graciously and kindly. 

And if the artist can make me think this way then she won me over. Martha, you rock. 

The third song “Jesus and Mary” stays with the original idea. At least I see it there. “She’s a jewel in your crown but I am the gold that is gonna weigh you down“. And also…

Jesus and Mary tackles Martha’s wishes for faith, “and my wishes for the comforts of a God I’ve never found, and am not sure I want.”

Brilliant woman, great transitory song that takes us to a fourth song “Comin’ Tonight“. This song, too, portrays her memories of the one she loved. 

“Tower Song” is a next song that starts off in a gentle way and continues this way. The lyrics aren’t gentle, but Martha has a good reason:

Tower Song alludes not only to the Leonard Cohen song Martha has sung many times, but to the war in Iraq, the Twin Towers in New York, and the siege of Sarajevo in which two lovers died in each other’s arms. 

Sixth song “Hearts Club Song“, reminds me of Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole. As far as lyrics.

Hearts Club Band is about loneliness, and about fitting into the company of people who “are always bleeding, metaphorically, from the inside.” 

Next one is “So Many Friends” about the friends she had lost and all she lost along with another affair. I guess. Brilliant lyrics. 

“In The Middle Of The Night” comes a knocking at her door, there’s a limousine outside and we know who it’s for. Martha’s songs denied what I had thought – that in order to make a successful album the artist should have a song that speaks to more people. To make some songs less personal so that they can appeal to more people and then draw attention to those with ulterior point. Well, no, there is actually no need for universal songs and Martha’s songs are clear evidence. The songs, no matter how personal, will always find an audience.

In The Middle Of The Night is about Martha’s mother’s brush with cancer last year, and “about the presence of death in our lives, and the knowledge that it is coming.” 

“The George Song” and ”Niger River” have also that unique combination of vocals, background vocals, guitars, violins, and drums.

Eleventh song is “Jimi“, the longest track in the album. It goes from a gentle song to a more rock-style with guitars and drums. 

Jimi is about “all the dreaming, madness and sadness that comes with heartbreak – the stuff takes up so much of our time, and for nothing”. 

“See Emily Play” is a touching cover of Pink Floyd. 

The album closes with the song “I wish I were” and is just as brilliant as the opening song of the album. 

Martha’s confessional, fearless album is a truly original compilation of her love stories, affairs, memories and dreams that we are all full of. And I am glad that it is sung by a woman. I am usually into man’s voices but Martha’s voice is a magnificent change for me. I highly recommend this album to you all, the ones that have more to tell than this just as to ones that have only one story to be told. 

More info on her official website  - Martha Wainwright

And you can listen to “Bleeding All Over You”, ”You Cheated Me” and “Comin’ Tonight” on her MySpace page. 

~ by Lenka Bliss on May 11, 2008.