Martha Tilston
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Martha Tilston is an English folk-based singer-songwriter.
| Martha Tilston | |
|---|---|
| Origin |  Brighton, Southeast, U.K. |
| Genre(s) | Folk |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Label(s) | Squiggly |
| Associated acts | Mouse Martha Tilston and the Woods |
| Website | Martha Tilston Official Website |
| Members | |
| Martha Tilston | |
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Tilston is the daughter of singer-songwriter Steve Tilston and the stepdaughter of Irish folk performer Maggie Boyle. Trained as an artist and dramatist, she began her musical career in 2000 as an active presence in Britain's alternative festival scene, particularly as part of the traveling troupe called "The Small World Solar Stage"[1][2]. She formed half of the duo Mouse with guitarist Nick Marshall, which issued a CD named "Mouse Tales" in 2001. In 2002, she toured as a supporting act with Damien Rice. Her first solo album "Rolling" was issued in 2003 on her own label, Squiggly. "Bimbling" followed in 2005. Her online-only album, "Ropeswing" , with a band called "The Woods", was issued in 2006, distributed free of charge via two British outlets. Her latest album "Of Milkmaids and Architects" came out in late 2007. She was nominated for "Best New Act" in the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards contest.[3] She is a founding member of the Wupadupa artists' collective. Having toured Britain numerous times, she is touring Australia in Spring, 2008.
Ropeswing contains her two most politically-explicit songs, "Artificial", which speaks of the deadliness of office life, and "Corporations" which is a critique of corporate rule and the corporate-education complex. She has also appeared on several compilations, including her song "The Saddest Game" about child soldiers in Africa, on The Big Issue's "Peace Not War" CD[4]. Her song "Good World" is among several that she has written and performed on environmental subjects[5].
Much of her work is not political, focusing instead on personal freedom, love, inner peace and the natural world. Songs such as "Simple" on Ropeswing, "By the Lake" on Mouse Tales, and "Firefly" on Bimbling are examples of these.
On some songs, she accompanies herself on guitar, while on others she is accompanied by a rich mostly-acoustic array of musical sounds. The quality of her voice has been noted by more than one reviewer[6].
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 2001 Mouse Tales (with Nick Marshall)
- 2003 Rolling
- 2005 Bimbling
- 2006 Ropeswing (with The Woods)
- 2007 Of Milkmaids and Architects
- 2008 Til I Reach the Sea EP
[edit] References
- ^ Small World Solar Stage[1] accessed 18 February, 2008
- ^ Biographical details found at Irwin, Colin [2] Martha Tilston Biography at allmusic.com, accessed 18 February, 2008; Irwin, Colin, interview in fRoots Magazine #297, March, 2008; Tilston, Martha [3] official website
- ^ Peter Culshaw Martha Tilston: The folk singer who's come in from the cold The Guardian, 21 January 2007. Accessed 18 February 2008.
- ^ Peace Not War [4] accessed 18 February, 2008
- ^ Friends of the Earth UK [5] Interview, accessed 18 February, 2008
- ^ e.g. Davies, Mike [6] Review in NetRhythms.co.uk, accessed 18 February, 2008
[edit] External links
- Official Martha Tilston website
- Official Wupadupa Music Collective website
- Squiggly Records website
- Small World Solar Stage website
- Biography from Pond Life Studios, which distributes Ropeswing
- Biography from Woven Wheat Whispers, which distributes Ropeswing
- Nominees for 2007 BBC 2 Folk Awards
- Myspace site for Martha's Australian label, THINK
[edit] Sources
- Biography by Colin Irwin at Allmusic.com
- Review from The Argus
- Peter Culshaw, Martha Tilston: The folk singer who's come in from the cold, The Guardian, 21 January 2007. Accessed 18 February 2008.
- Review of Of Milkmaids and Architects by David Kidman
- Review from BBC Norfolk
- Short Interview from Friends of the Earth
- Interview with Colin Irwin of fRoots Magazine (subscription) No. 297, March 2008
