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BY TOM LOUNGES
Times Correspondent | Wednesday, September 20, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
There was a lot of excitement in Charlotte Martin's voice when she spoke this past Tuesday from her hotel room in Denver.
Admittedly a bit giddy, the 30-year-old singer/songwriter was just hours away from taking the stage for the first date of a new national tour, supporting her latest full-length album, "Stromata," which like her past albums was co-produced by the artist and her newly wedded husband, Ken Andrews, who is best known for producing Pete Yorn.
The album itself was literally being stocked on retail shelves across the nation as she spoke. "It's always a bit nerve-wracking the day you release something," she sighed.
"Last night I cried a lot," continued the Midwest-born Martin. "I celebrated the CD by having a sushi dinner with my manager and my crew. I haven't done a full length album in two years, so emotions are running a bit high today. I tweaked things on this album continuously up until a few weeks ago, but this is the day I finally have to let it go. This is the day I lose all control over it and just have to hope for the best."
Martin -- the classically-trained daughter of an Eastern University music professor who grew up near Chicago -- had previously been compared by critics to such 'girl with piano' artists as Tori Amos, Kate Bush and to an extent Carole King.
After all, her previous EPs and her 2004 one-off album for RCA Records, "On Your Shore," were largely collections of melodic story-songs.
"Stromata" is the first-ever release by indie label, Dinosaur Fight Records, formed last year by Martin and Andrews. It has national distribution through Fontana/Universal.
This collection finds Martin taking a decidedly different musical path than on her past albums and EPs, and she is wondering aloud this morning how her audience will react and respond to it.
"I stepped away from the acoustic piano for a large part of this album and sort of indulged myself in experimentation with synthesizers and drum machines. 'Stromata' IS a very electronic album, but it's NOT electronica," she said, stressing the point that she has not attempted to become a dance club diva.
That Martin has booked a headline tour of large rock clubs and small halls, indicates that deep down she knows her loyal audience will be there for her.
"The reason I spend so much time on the road is that I really miss those people when I'm at home. For me there is nothing like being on stage," she confessed.
"It's just me playing three keyboards and a drummer this time," she told of the stage setup for these dates. "I'm doing bass and strings and all that through the keyboards, so we have a full sound. It's not a minimalist thing at all. It's actually a pretty rockin' show."
In addition to her eight weeks of headline dates, Martin will be doing three dates as part of the "Hotel Cafe Tour," where four or five artists cycle through a show.
"Each of us goes up and does two or three songs and then after the last person performs, we all go up and do it again. One of those three dates will be back in Chicago at the Park West," she explained, adding that Chicago is one of her strongest markets and that she loves playing there.
onStage
Charlotte Martin with Joe Purdy
When: 8 p.m., Sunday
Where: Schuba's, 3159 N. Southport, Chicago
Cost: $12 / 18 & Over
FYI: (773) 525-2508 or www.schubas.com
onStage
Charlotte Martin with Joe Purdy
When: 8 p.m., Sunday
Where: Schuba's, 3159 N. Southport, Chicago
Cost: $12 / 18 & Over
FYI: (773) 525-2508 or www.schubas.com
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