The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOON BLUE – THE MOONLIGHT DISCO
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KASSI VALAZZA – KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAUD THE MOTH + TRAJEDESALIVA
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PERE UBU – TROUBLE ON BIG BEAT STREET
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AJJ – DISPOSABLE EVERYTHING
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FREE REIN TO PASSIONS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOE PERRY – SWEETZERLAND MANIFESTO MKII
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FISHBONE – FISHBONE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MOBIUS RADIO – “THE MORE YOU KNOW”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: TARA MACLEAN SHARES HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL NEW VIDEO FOR “THAT’S ME”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: JANE’S PARTY – “SHIPS ON AN OCEAN”
SPILL FEATURE: OVERCOMING ADVERSITY, EMERGING VICTORIOUS – A CONVERSATION WITH ROBBIE LITCHFIELD OF SAVING VICE
SPILL FEATURE: LATELY I’VE BEEN FEELING GOOD AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL SO BAD – A CONVERSATION WITH SEAN BONNETTE OF AJJ
SPILL FEATURE: CONNECTING ALL OUR LIVES – A CONVERSATION WITH GEOFF DOWNES OF YES
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: DIVINE SWEATER – “WAKING UP ALONE / JULIA”
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
179
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SOUNDWALK COLLECTIVE WITH PATTI SMITH - THE PERFECT VISION: REWORKINGS
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JEAN-MICHEL JARRE - THE CONCERTS IN CHINA (40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SELINA MARTIN – TIME SPENT SWIMMING

Selina Martin

Selina Martin
Time Spent Swimming
Independent

“Got a hole in my heart/And I can’t fill it up” sings Selina Martin in the opening track, “Tangier” from her new album Time Spent Swimming. The music is electronic and sparse, and her voice comes in full of pain and questioning. It is a remarkable way to open an album and it sets the tone for the next 43 or so minutes. Time Spent Swimming is a fascinating, and enjoyable album full of twists and turns. It is hard to categorize Martin, and this is a compliment. Experimental pop mixed with electronica with a bit of singer/songwriter. I am sure if Carole King was starting out today, she may be doing something like this. Martin is not afraid to take chances and explore sounds. She uses her voice as an instrument.

Nor does she pull punches. Her lyrics are straightforward and full of love and anger. “Two Storeys” is a great example. The anger is there but so is her sadness and disappointment. Musically it is disconcerting and lyrically it is powerful. Martin uses her words carefully and if one is to turn off the music and read the lyrics, they do read like poetry.

No two songs really sound alike, and yet when hey all come together for the album, everything fits. The songs all line up and one can see the care taken in the sequencing of the album. Martin is smart and gives breathing room throughout. Songs like “If You Were A River” and “Leopard-Skin Vespa” are more conventional than other tracks, but don’t let that fool you, they still pack punches. Even songs such as “Something Wide Awake”, which begins quite sparse, builds and takes the listener on Martin’s musical journey.

That is the absolute beauty of this album, the use of sound but also the strong use of melody. This is not experimental for experiment’s sake. The sounds she incorporates create the mood for each and every song. “So Lo” is a prime example. Brilliant title and the song itself is sparse and uses sounds more than conventional instruments but again it works. The mood and vibe that is created is beyond words and one cannot help but focus on her story and emotion.

Time Spent Swimming is a very strong album. Musically and lyrically this album offers so much and Martin has every right to be proud of Time Spent Swimming.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

* Mandatory Field

Check your inbox or spam folder now (just in case!) to confirm your subscription.

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SELINA MARTIN – TIME SPENT SWIMMING

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
1 rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsif you were a riverselina martintime spent swimming
album review, album reviews, if you were a river, selina martin, time spent swimming
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviews
 
9.0
Sparks
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE

by Aaron Badgley on May 26, 2023
Sparks The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte Island Records The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte is Sparks 25th studio album, and their first since 2020’s very successful A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. They have gained a new audience, thanks in part to the [...]
 
8.0
Moon Blue

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOON BLUE – THE MOONLIGHT DISCO

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 26, 2023
Moon Blue The Moonlight Disco 777 Music There are two ways by which an artist can make the title of his record fit perfectly with the music within. One is to compose the music and then find a fitting title, the other is the have the title in [...]
 
8.0
Kassi Valazza

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KASSI VALAZZA – KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 26, 2023
Kassi Valazza Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing Fluff & Gravy Records Portland, Oregon artist Kassi Valazza defies the title of her latest album – Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing. She actually knows quite a bit it seems, and one of the things [...]
 
8.0
maud the moth + trajedesaliva
8.8

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAUD THE MOTH + TRAJEDESALIVA

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 26, 2023
maud the moth + trajedesaliva Bordando el Manto Terrestre Time Released Sound Now, we’re talking about some serious dark stuff here. Yet, it is the kind of dark stuff that actually enlightens and makes the true darkness go away. Bordando [...]
 
9.0
Pere Ubu

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PERE UBU – TROUBLE ON BIG BEAT STREET

by Aaron Badgley on May 26, 2023
Pere Ubu Trouble On Big Beat Street Cherry Red Records One could be forgiven for being confused as to what the actual year is when Sparks, Pere Ubu, Yes, and Jethro Tull are releasing new music. And it is a most excellent confusion. David Thomas [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE
9.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOON BLUE – THE MOONLIGHT DISCO
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KASSI VALAZZA – KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAUD THE MOTH + TRAJEDESALIVA
8.0
8.8
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PERE UBU – TROUBLE ON BIG BEAT STREET
9.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

* Mandatory Field

Check your inbox or spam folder now (just in case!) to confirm your subscription.

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL NEWS: RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL STARR BAND ADD DATES TO SPRING 2023 TOUR
7833
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: METALLICA – 72 SEASONS
3639
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JETHRO TULL – RÖKFLÖTE
1476
 
SPILL FEATURE: LOVE THAT WE WERE LIVING – A CONVERSATION WITH JUSTIN HAYWARD OF THE MOODY BLUES
1320
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DELERIUM – SIGNS
1200
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: EMMA ARMSTRONG – “MAYBE PROBABLY NEVER”
1058
 
SPILL FEATURE: RECOLLECTION IN TRANQUILITY – A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN FOXX
831
 
SPILL FEATURE: THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE – A CONVERSATION WITH RUSSELL MAEL & RON MAEL OF SPARKS
808
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE KINKS – THE JOURNEY – PART 1
682
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE WHO – THE WHO WITH ORCHESTRA: LIVE AT WEMBLEY
680
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DAMNED – DARKADELIC
606
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CROWN LANDS – FEARLESS
498
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE – MEMENTO MORI
487
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES