Post Description

Claire Martin - Perfect Alibi - Linn AKD 316 (2008)
SACD rip via PS3 to iso (2.75GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | 6ch (2.44GB) DR12 (+6dB gain) | 2ch (901MB) DR12 (+6dB gain) | Jazz

"Claire Martin has long been one of Britain's finest voices & she lends her smoky tones to some classic songs on this latest outing" ~The Observer

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Claire Martin’s venturesome new album Perfect Alibi works just like the title says. Some might consider it too eclectic, but I don’t think so. Here, she uses her jazz sensibility to color such items from the pop/rock repertoire as Phoebe Snow’s deliciously devious Inspired Insanity, Al kooper’s More than You’ll Ever Know & Laura Nyro’s He’s a Runner. What she takes, she makes her own, as in her iconoclastic rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Up from the Skies that smolders in a way that is filled with the passionate urge to transcend earthbound existence through love. Claire leaves Jimi’s song more memorable than she found it.

A highlight here is the presence of guest co-vocalist & songwriter John Martyn. His duet with Claire in Man in the Station really resonates with desire, pain, & regret. Another definite plus is the contribution throughout the album of Paul Stacey, who plays damn near everything than can be plucked or strummed – electric, acoustic, & bass guitars, sitar, dobro, baritone & ebow guitars – & invests every song with just the perfect sound. Credit also the key backup support of Jeremey Stacey on drums; Anthony Kerr, vibes; Mornington Lockett, clarinet & saxophone, Luis Jardim, percussion; & Arnie Somogyi, double bass.

The presence of strings, heard as either a single or double quartet & played in blues/jazz style rather than a strict classical idiom, adds a special quality to the mood of many of these tracks. Listen to the way the brown-hued acrid harmonies interplay with the vocal lines in the poignant yet hopeful Strangers Now (Martin/Somogyi) & the crisply articulated Over by Allenby (Comfort), & you’ll hear what I mean. And Miss Martin’s vocal versatility can, as required, bleed right into the instrumental line, as it does in the final measure of Todd Rundgren’s Wailing Wall, where it whites out in the sound of Robin Aspland’s organ accompaniment rather than fade to black.

An impressive singer, Claire Martin. Some consider her the best all-around British vocalist since Dusty Springfield. Who am I to say nay?

~ ATLANTIC AUDIO SOCIETY  (19 AUGUST, 2008)

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Info at discogs:
http://www.discogs.com/Claire-Martin-Perfect-Alibi/release/3631845

       Tracks:

01. How Can I Be Sure?    (Felix Cavaliere, Edward Brigati Jnr.)
02. Man In The Station    (John Martyn)
03. Up From The Skies   (Jimi Hendrix)
04. Inspired Insanity    (Phoebe Snow)
05. People Make The World Go Round   (Bell, Creed)
06. Shadowville   (Dedi Madden)
07. Strangers Now   (Arnie Somogyi, Claire Martin, Charlotte Glasson)
08. More Than You'll Ever Know   (Al Kooper)
09. Over By Allenby   (Comfort)
10. More Than I Can Bear   (Julia Fordham)
11. He's A Runner    (Laura Nyro)
12. Wailing Wall   (Todd Rundgren)
      
      Musicians:

Claire Martin - vocals
Paul Stacey - guitars, keyboards
Jeremey Stacey - drums
Anthony Kerr - vibes
Mornington Lockett - clarinet, saxophone
Luis Jardim - percussion
Arnie Somogyi - double bass

Special guest
John Martyn - vocals
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Checksum for iso:
d272b809a5468a6b9db60d3b4a29b22f *CMPA.iso

Checksums for flac tracks 6ch:
739621f6b76f2863dde7fd51ff33f214 *01 - Claire Martin - How can I be sure.flac
ed7e7914d867486b8215da3d8b16b1ef *02 - Claire Martin and John Martyn - Man in the Station.flac
a2e5ec0d7acaac9fd18ebb3a1f4d7acf *03 - Claire Martin - Up from the skies.flac
91992ed75d69099c077605851b333412 *04 - Claire Martin - Inspired insanity.flac
d7a16a7dcc3533f93620b439cb8b14d4 *05 - Claire Martin - People make the world go round.flac
77c2fda7d985bc53ca455aabce236c02 *06 - Claire Martin - Shadowville.flac
1fd947b4d7cf1a2f0b0e4b3849829d74 *07 - Claire Martin - Strangers now.flac
030baeced10736c54170cd3a882c4827 *08 - Claire Martin - More than you'll ever know.flac
343465158d1b0c6fdb924d47b217c07a *09 - Claire Martin - Over by Allenby.flac
6456f562f0b7888d7e6b26642ebf4425 *10 - Claire Martin - More than I can bear.flac
d93cd24f2e7ca17a6c0f38d9ac7fbeb3 *11 - Claire Martin - He's a runner.flac
07523fabcbfcc2a2dfa31cd58d1933a1 *12 - Claire Martin - Wailing wall.flac

Checksums for flac tracks 2ch:
756256bcf7476c9f83e6d2211fb15c24 *01 - Claire Martin - How can I be sure.flac
341550e0c813b6c344710866126cecfc *02 - Claire Martin and John Martyn - Man in the Station.flac
1b52b3d91f291532c8fb609f2f30e1fa *03 - Claire Martin - Up from the skies.flac
a42c61e69ac94157b400e24aa891a0cb *04 - Claire Martin - Inspired insanity.flac
84e20c7f21748277abd98bdc96d974b8 *05 - Claire Martin - People make the world go round.flac
a7f81b32f5dd73f40c34a0d92e261ec3 *06 - Claire Martin - Shadowville.flac
117de0d0812c7e5d198dc5f3e91b87e2 *07 - Claire Martin - Strangers now.flac
c7f574a129074004d9e3ce461d54150b *08 - Claire Martin - More than you'll ever know.flac
53758cb8d95070d8a7a78143e20bce2c *09 - Claire Martin - Over by Allenby.flac
dabca67cb518b8c6c6abaa2f9a469474 *10 - Claire Martin - More than I can bear.flac
5ad7920117858ae13fb329617c234a31 *11 - Claire Martin - He's a runner.flac
81537ff379f0fc6a988646a14a6605ef *12 - Claire Martin - Wailing wall.flac