Martha Tilston
Album: The Sea
Label: Squiggly
Tracks: 9
Website: http://www.marthatilston.co.uk

If her purpose was to make an excellent album of traditional songs about the sea, recorded with the help of truly talented friends and family, then Martha Tilston has achieved a triumph.

We see Martha firmly locating herself in her rich family folk pedigree and paying touching homage to it in a way that produces quite exceptionally beautiful music. Get a copy of 'The Sea', -you will enjoy it, and treasure it.

These songs, impeccably crafted and produced by Matt Tweed, feature her accomplished band members, but also her wonderfully talented father and stepmother, Steve Tilston and Maggie Boyle, her brother Joe, and...who knew her uncle was Kevin Whately, Morse's sidekick! Well he turns a mean tonsil here, as does Geordie stepfather Frank Whately.

The opening track, 'Lovely on the Water', sets the nautical and lyrical tone, with Maggie Boyle helping out on vocals and flute. Maggie is a natural born musician and singer with the power to get straight through to your heart, and many will be pleased to hear her gracing this album, we wish her well.

Martha Tilston's voice is that of an enchantress of the sea, almost like a bansuri flute, over atmospheric accompaniment which ebbs and flows to to reflect the moods of the songs.

'Shipwreckers' is one of the best tracks, excitingly evocative of the menacing sea fog of 'Jamaica Inn', and indeed much of this album was recorded in Cornwall.

Many tracks vie for first place, with 'Blackwaterside', a classic, exquisitely sung in shades of Sandy Denny, and a Janschian guitar intricately embroidering the tune.

'Fisherlad of Whitby' is a sheer delight with the formidable Steve Tilston impressing his stamp of quality. Not quite sure why he is not as famous as Richard Thompson. A moving father and daughter duet here.

I also want to mention 'The Waters of Tyne', which is such a poignant tune, carressed by voices, and revered by instruments.

The tripled CD sleeve is a little over-elaborate, with a booklet densely packed with more information than I needed, but some like that, and it is but a minor point.

They say you can choose your friends but you cannot choose your family....Martha Tilston has chosen her musical friends well, and been blessed with her gifted family, but, it is clear, she is a very lovely singer in her own right, a masterful interpreter of these songs, which are well chosen.

'The Sea' feels like a stake in the ground to thank her heritage, and show just what she can create from it , before continuing along her stellar way- a special album at a unique point in Martha's musical journey, a sea spell woven for our ears, an oceanic folk delight.

Kath Reade