Charlotte Martin’s new album, “On Your Shore,”makes me think of church. And not in a good way.

I have the definite inclination to think that anyone who justfinished touring with Liz Phair has to rock. I was prepared to loveCharlotte Martin. I listened to the CD several times, and Icouldn’t quite manage it. Her vocals are beautiful and herinstrumentation is strong. She plays powerful piano on almost everytrack, reminiscent in a distant way of Train or maybe RufusWainwright, following the new trend of emotional piano pop.

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According to the press release, she ” … at oncerecalls the banshee wails of Kate Bush and the radio-friendlymelancholy of the Cure.” Ken Andrews, who also works withPete Yorn, produced the album for RCA.

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I’m not the kind of musical snob who thinks that anyartist on a big label is a sell-out, or that any artist on an Indylabel rocks, just because they’re obscure. I tend to view biglabel artists with suspicion, however, I’m definitely moreforgiving of obscure artists. Martin strikes me as an obscureartist on a big label. I had only distantly heard of her prior tolistening to the album and I had only heard good things. Listeningfor myself, I have to admit that a lot of it was right on.

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She is melancholy. She’s an amazing pianist with amazingvocals. She writes all her own lyrics, except a cover of theRolling Stone’s “Wild Horses.” She’s been aclassical singer since she was 7, and she used to want to be anopera singer.

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I just kept getting these strange religious vibes, and Icouldn’t put my finger on it till I looked at the linernotes. In her first and title track, “On your shore,”she says, “Won’t let the waves wash me away/is what Ialways pray.”Then later she says “Here I am/I’min the mercy seat.” It’s so subtle, but every songreminds me of adult contemporary Christian music. Words likeheaven, pray, mercy, armor or her sixth track, called “SweetChariot,” connote that kind of religious lingo that I tend topick up on.

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Her lyrics don’t seem melancholy and deep to me &-rather, they seem sappy, sickly emotional and over serious. Thegirl doesn’t sound like she knows how to have a good time.Most of the songs on the album are ballads, with a few token uppersthrown in for good measure. “Limits of our Love”sounded a little promising, with Joey Waronker of Beck and REM fameon drums and Justin Medal-Johnson, who’s also played withBeck, on bass, but the sappy lyrics ruined it for me.

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Plus, Martin sings her own background lyrics, which is surrealand annoying to me. I feel it’s a little egotistical, as ifthe artist is the only person who can properly sing backup.She’s been compared to Tori Amos and Kate Bush, as well asthe Cure, but all I hear are Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant,maybe a little Vanessa Carlton. I’m not a big Tori Amos fanso that might be fair, but Kate Bush is much deeper than Martinwill ever be. She doesn’t have the strength in either lyricsor arrangement, plus Bush has the capability to laugh at life,whereas Martin may be permanently gloomy, for lack of a betterword.

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As for Yorn, I won’t go there, but to me that’s notmuch of a recommendation. Then again, he is a man, so I pretty muchhave to dislike him by default. The album is worth a listen &-I may have disliked it only because of the aforementioned religioustingly feeling I got. For those who enjoy Emo, like powerful pianoballads and sweetly haunting vocals, Martin is a keeper. Thoseappreciative of edgier fare should steer clear.