Sister Act

Much of the conversation with Wainwright revolves around her family. She was born into folk-pop aristocracy – she's the daughter of folk legends Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, and the younger sister of baroque-pop impresario Rufus. Not surprisingly, family affairs have also loomed large in her songbook. Consider ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’, a song written explicitly about her father, or 'In The Middle Of The Night', which references her mother's struggle with skin cancer. She keeps it in the family on her new album, too – which is produced by her husband, the bass player Brad Albetta. She explains: “I suffer from a certain amount of insecurity with regard to songwriting and making music, so I always need someone to help me hear my own voice. The fact that he’s my husband and he knows me so well means that I can’t just charm him. He understands me, so he can read through my bullshit. That’s what everyone needs in a producer.”
That said, the recording studio is not renowned for nurturing close personal relationships.
“We fight in the studio, but it’s not a problem," she admits. "The other musicians can just leave! Actually, I think it’s been really helpful to have someone that I can openly argue with, without either of us taking exception. He usually either sets me on the right track or we find some middle ground.”
Speaking of middle ground, Wainwright is becoming increasingly acquainted with the mass market. Indeed, she’s beginning to reach a level of cult popularity that her older brother has enjoyed for some time.
“There’s certainly an audience that crosses over," she considers. "I mean, Rufus’ audience is something that I always hoped to tap into. They’re kind of serious music people.”
Martha Wainwright used to be known for her gushing earnestness. But she’s shifted gear on her new album, the snarkily titled I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too.
"The focus has gone away from naval-gazing, which is a relief,” she says with a self-mocking laugh. “Although the subject matter is still often intense or sad or dark, I also have a sense of humour and I wanted the title of the album to reflect that.”Does she find it surprising though, given that their styles contrast so greatly?
“Rufus puts on a very different show – it’s obviously much more of a performance and it has a large element of grandiosity about it, which mine doesn’t,” she asserts. “I don’t have as much of a persona. When I play live it’s just me and a band - no costumes! I guess what we do have in common is a real respect for musical history, even if our interest is in totally different styles.”
Stylistically, Martha has always had more in common with her contemporaries than her relatives. Her volatile vocal style on I Know You’re Married often recalls Joanna Newsom’s, and both artists convey a highly colorful modern take on intricate folk. It’s a wonder the two don’t get compared more frequently.
“Yeah I like her. I like the weirdness of the lyrics. She has a more put-on way of singing than me… but then, maybe it’s not put-on.”
Oddly, for US-based acts, both tend to find a considerably less receptive audience in their homeland.
“Over here, because of the rich tradition of poetry and folk music, the appreciation for singers and musicians is just at a much higher level,” she says of her popularity in Ireland.
Still, Wainwright’s profile Stateside has been greatly enhanced by her many collaborations, the most well-known of which was her contribution to Snow Patrol’s Top 20 single ‘Set The Fire To The Third Bar’. I Know You’re Married, meanwhile, sees her collaborating with Pete Townsend, The Band’s Garth Hudson and Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen.
“Collaborating with other artists obviously makes the process a lot more drawn out. But, I would hope that I’m benefiting from the experience, that it’s seeping into my own songwriting.”
Of those collaborations that didn’t quite come to pass, this writer vaguely recalls hearing about an encounter between Wainwright and a certain Bob Dylan that ultimately proved fruitless.
“Not a musical collaboration!” she quickly retorts. “He called me once. I think he, I mean… he asked me out on a date. I said ‘No’.”
It’s clearly an experience she’s not entirely comfortable dwelling on.
“He probably hates me for ever talking about it. I mean, yeah, I would have much preferred a musical collaboration.”
Staying, ever so delicately, on the subject of Mr. Zimmerman, 2004’s Chronicles provided a fascinating first-hand account of the musical journey of an artist who’s often wrapped up in a cloak of myth. More recently still, Mark Oliver Everett of Eels, wrestled many of the dysfunctional demons of his personal past on the brilliant Things The Grandchildren Should Know. Material for an autobiographical tome wouldn’t appear to be thin on the ground at the Wainwright household. Would Martha ever consider putting pen to paper?
“I’ve never thought about it,” is her blunt reply. “I mean I think the family history is well recorded in newspapers and magazines. So for something like that – I don’t think I could make it mysterious enough. With someone like Dylan, the truth has never been that obvious to people. I think, with me… sometimes it’s been far too obvious.”

I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too is out now