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About The Event
Acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitarist CARRIE MARTIN returns with a new album, Evergreen, due for CD release in March 2023, followed by a vinyl version the following month, via Psychotron Records.
On returning to a music career she had put on extended hold for over two decades while raising a family, Hull native Carrie was originally inspired by a meeting with legendary guitarist Gordon Giltrap – an encounter which led to a lasting friendship and Gordon becoming something of a mentor for her return to the stage. Since that time she has gone from strength to strength, with this latest release following on the heels of the Seductive Sky and Entity albums, both of which received widespread critical praise.
Never one to be pigeonholed as a mere ‘folkie’, as it were, Evergreen manages to be Carrie’s most eclectic and varied collection yet, featuring tracks ranging from the delicate folk of ‘Lost In The Right Time’, through the soul-blues of ‘Deep Blue Heaven’ and the poppier ‘Girl With A Feather’, all the way to the prog-rock influences displayed on the ambitious eight-minute ‘Keep In The Light’. Followers of Carrie’s career will be well aware of her classic ‘Maria And The Moon’, a haunting piece based on a remarkable book by author Louise Beech, and will no doubt be delighted to see that she has turned her inspiration to the work of Beech once again with ‘End Of Story’, which again ties in with another one of her books.
Illustrating the respect in which Carrie Martin is held is the line-up of guest musicians on the album. Oliver Wakeman (son, of course, of Rick, and like him a former member of Yes) plays on Keep In The Light as well as End Of Story, while guitarist Roger Fisher, formerly a key member of Heart, also appears on Keep In The Light, along with Jeremy Richardson and Wayne Proctor on bass and drums. Elsewhere ex-Argent guitarist provides some bluesy guitar on Deep Blue Heaven, and Karl Cassidy (brother of the late singer Eva Cassidy) contributes violin on She Doesn’t Know. There are also appearances from Sarah Dean (aka ‘The Incredible String Blonde’) on harp, Andy Banfield on percussion and Jamie Mallender and Jim Waltham on bass. Finally, making it a ‘family affair’ of sorts, Carrie’s son Ben Martin himself chips in with guitar, vocal and harp, as well as sharing production duties. The CD release features one extra bonus track not included on the vinyl; a version of Gordon Giltrap’s piece ‘Loren’, from his album The Last Of England.
April promises to be a busy month for Carrie as, together with the vinyl release of Evergreen, she is due to head over to Los Angeles for an engagement with her sponsors Vintage Guitars, but her UK followers may be assured that she will be planning plenty of live work on home soil to build on the album’s release.