Claire Martin: Perfect Alibi

She stays close to the original on Laura Nyro's "He's a Runner," allowing the song and the arrangement to do much of the work but rendering it with her own downhearted, blues-informed slant. She finally admits to herself the guy is history and abstractly considers the devastating effect of his departure. The original was more a declaration of his lack of character. An example of her ability to renovate a song: Al Kooper's "More Than You'll Ever Know." The original had a late '60s macho feel ("I could be president of General Motors")—the singer momentarily dropped his guard to admit he cared but let it be known it wasn't his usual style. Martin slows it down and gives it a bona fide vulnerability but remains aware of the liaison's precariousness.

Martin sounds like she can sing the blues but chooses not to on this CD, preferring ambiguous, blues-related numbers such as "Up from the Skies" she can interpret with her modern sensibility. Her forward momentum does not allow a tune's repetitiveness to be felt.

On some tunes ("Shadowville," "He's Runner," "Man in the Station"—a duet with John Martyn—and "More than I Can Bear") she successfully integrates a Country feeling, overcoming some trivial lyrics on a couple of them. Here's hoping Country does not become her predominant interest.

Arranger Paul Stacey comes in for much of the credit. He arranges the tunes with an open feeling and rhythmic subtlety that allows Martin to bring them into her present.

Perfect Alibiis Martin's best CD so far.