Album Review

Sharon Martin – Natural High

• 5th Jul 2012

I saw Glaswegian singer Sharon Martin and her band playing a support slot about a year back, and was very impressed. So I was delighted to find that she has now released a debut EP – and very good it is too. With eight tracks and thirty minutes of fine music in total this is really more of a mini album, and it gives a great flavour of the versatility that Martin possesses, both as a songwriter and as a singer.

A synth burst opens 59 Degrees North (Norwegian Light) and the song takes off immediately. The uptempo electro-pop sound is big, as keyboards and drums play off each other, yet Martin’s strong, low pitched vocals are clear and commanding. Next up is Faith, Hope & Love, which starts more gently before the tempo increases for a chorus that showcases a powerful pop voice.

The title track Natural High is quite beautiful, a defiant love song with quickly delivered vocals that show a fine range as Martin’s voice soars effortlessly into the higher registers. The piano behind the vocals works well and there is a short guitar part at the end that puts a lovely coda onto the track.

Out in the Crowd is slower and emotionally delivered and shows that Sharon Martin has a more soulful side. The piano driven Sorry takes this further, a lovely song of heartbreak and regret which she delivers passionately and with great fervour.

The musical direction is changed totally by the country pop sounds of Love Without Sex. A jaunty guitar and bass, along with some great slide guitar touches, back Martin’s faster paced vocals in what is a delicate and upbeat song. And then we come to the rocker Black Kettle, a highlight from the live set. This short and powerful Jerry Lee Lewis inspired song enables Martin to show yet another impressive string to her bow.

The EP’s final track Too Late drops the tempo once again and Martin’s voice is backed by a piano and some lovely harmonies that reinforce its clarity and power. This is another highly emotional song and it is delivered with great feeling, closing with strings adding depth to the track and one final vocal flourish.

Sharon Martin has been writing and performing for over 10 years as a solo artist and in a number of bands including Handsome Dan, The Kingfishers and more recently fronting Grammy winning producer Stephen Lironi’s electro-disco project, Flesh.

In this EP Martin shows that she has the ability to craft fine pop songs and a voice that is versatile and adaptable, enabling her to deliver from uptempo pop through to a harder rock sound. And there are not too many other vocalists with that wide range of talents around.

Natural High is a good collection of tracks sung in fine style. And Sharon Martin is a name to take note of.