London-born singer Claire Martin has slowly been attracting notice since her debut in 1991 (The Waiting Game). Using her deep emotive voice to cover the spectrum of jazz and pop she has built up quite a catalogue of work. Apart from her--superior--voice, what marks out Martin as a considerable talent is how she is not afraid to use those vocal chords on pop songs. Here they include Elvis Costello's "Baby Plays Around", David Sylvian's "Brilliant Trees" and the Beatles' "Help!". The latter amply showing how she loves to experiment with the song slowed right down and featuring a certain Noel Gallagher on guitar. But of course no matter how inspired the choice of musician or song it is the quality of the voice which defines a singer. With Martin you get a singer who prefers the clear and subtle rather than gritty and the Scotch sodden. Not that she can't up the tempo when she wants to, but even then her voice is one that is both strong and smooth. A voice which is always controlled, but never boring. --Phil Brett