Sometimes small and unassuming makes as much of a mark as a big production. Christina Martin and Dale Murray have spent several years and many Airmiles touring the country and Europe as a duo. While her albums (which Murray produces) usually feature full group arrangements, this set is a more stripped-down effort, the pair creating most of the sounds in their home studio in Nova Scotia. While there are a few Martin-written songs, the rest are well-chosen covers that showcase the live duo style they've developed.
The record starts with the biggest surprise, a very spare version of ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All," which highlights Martin's emotional vocal. The cover also shows it's a better lyric than you might realize, and quite a stirring song when well-handled. On other covers, Martin proves she has great taste, covering a lesser-known Leonard Cohen piece ("Tonight Will Be Fine"), some Dylan ("To Make You Feel My Love"), and the respected Richard Thompson and Paul Westerberg. "Love Hurts" already widely covered, but the pair really do a grand job, Dale Murray coming to the fore for once with the harmony vocal, plus one of his best guitar solos on the album. Murray's playing and production is definitely the biggest strength here, as these songs go from being mere two-person recordings to full, developed works with his atmosphere and subtle effects added.
Sprinkled through are Martin's cuts, including one brand-new one ("Finsbury Park") and three older ones reworked in this duo style. "Finsbury Park" is also the lone one to feature drums and bass, which is fitting as it's a strong new work that deserves to stand out. Hearing the guitar-and-vocals versions of her older songs again shows the strength of the couple's live shows, how they can make an audience hang on their words and playing. And oh, the best cover has to be the title cut, written by Westerberg, turning that post-Replacements raw gemstone into a jewel.
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