Tag: John Emery

The very bohemian Barrel House in the heart of Totnes couldn’t be
a more suitable venue for Martha Tilston, permanent Christmas
cluster lights sway overhead and artsy posters cover
The flaking walls. The whole venue gives out a fuzzy and folksy
vibe. Just the deal for our Martha.

The band appear to be completely taken aback by the almost
raucous welcome as they slowly take to the stage, Martha is
dressed to feel in a free flowing Summer number, it’s close to
freezing outside tonight.

From the opening number ‘We Are Here Now’, we are treated to
her clear, airy and somewhat untraditional vocal, backed by the
loveliest spun notes from her trusty six string. The two Matt’s
provide an edgy violin, wandering fretless bass and country banjo,
never overpowering, often verging on the edge of Psychedelia if
such a thing is allowed in this genre.

Martha has the great ability to take you to places that are
unexpected, often changing key and melody mid verse, sometimes
simultaneous. The songs are, as any great folk song should be,
about life stories, travel, love, hardship, togetherness, boredom,
exhilaration. These are only clues though, only she can affirm what
these beautiful compositions really hold.

Many of the songs performed tonight are from her new album
“Luminous”, all of which are as a magical as anything she has
penned over her career. ‘No Separation’ has this full house
unsurprisingly fixated, ‘Mountain Song’ is just stunning, and the
brilliant “Luminous Soul” repeats a mantra that takes us to a new
mesmerising level.

Martha’s engagement with this 300 strong gathering is tropically
warm, sharing tales of her ill spent time as an office sales person,
selling something incomprehensible. Completely relatable to
probably the majority of the folk who have turned out tonight.
Her splendid and heartfelt film The Tape, released last year on
Netflix is given a curious mention. Directed, performed and acted
by Martha, she comments that the 600,000 strong viewings have
generated zero income for her. Clearly not a mercenary, but come
on, how has it come to this?

Like all wonderful shows, they have to end and at this point Martha
decides to take herself and the band to the heart of the people,
playing on the floor, PA switched off. Absolute perfection.
After tonight’s performance, it’s pretty clear that she is no longer a
great artist in the making, this accolade was achieved quite some
time ago.

The new album, Luminous, by Martha Tilston is out now through
Bandcamp.

John Emery

Artist’s website: https://www.marthatilston.co.uk/

‘We Are Here Now’ – live: