Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole
Martha Wainwright bears the unmistakable stamp of her lineage. She and her brotherRufusgrew up in Canada with their mother,Kate McGarrigle, with summer and holiday visits to fatherLoudon Wainwright IIIin the states. She's sung regularly in performances of the extended McGarrigle family, as well as with her brother since his ascendancy in this new millennium. Stepping out fully on her own, she's thrown down a knowing gauntlet, the title track being also listed as just "BMFA." From that near-solo opener to the judiciously arranged small combo setting for "When The Day Is Short" and the sonic wallop of "It's Over," she's not pulling any mere raucous stunts here. Rather, these five songs show a maturity that comes from someone who's been preparing for her first release her whole life.- David Greenberger