Christina Martin Shares Two Hearts

Halifax's Christina Martin believes in the power of two. Her sophomore release, Two Hearts, explores the divide between love and loss.

"It's two forces in a relationship," says Martin. "It's two souls connecting.

"It's a sad but hopeful record. The common thread is struggling through relationships, the uncertainty of them, but at the end of the day still feeling like there is two people working towards something."

Martin draws on such universal themes as longing, desire and the notion of home. She spent a few years living in Austin, Texas, but recently return home to the Maritimes. The album's title track is a sombre yet hopeful insight into the divided artist.

Two Hearts was produced and recorded by Dale Murray (The Guthries, Cuff The Duke), and his apt ear and solid guitar playing shine through on the majority of the tracks, including "You Come Home," "Cut It Out" and "Love Letters."

"I'm pretty new at producing and engineering albums," says Murray. "I have only really done one album for someone else before Christina's.

"That album was by Adam Puddington, who I've played with for years, so when Christina asked me to help her out with the album, it was the first time I worked with someone that I didn't really know. Somehow it went from helping out to producing, engineering, playing and mixing the album. I ended up saying 'yes' to doing the album for a couple of reasons. One was because I like Christina's songs, and I was confidant that I could do a good job on it, and secondly I really wanted to get into production and she was giving me a chance to show that I could do it. I think it worked out well for the both of us."

Here are Martin's Canadian dates:

June 3 Fredericton, NB @ Backstreet Records (12:30 p.m. in-store w/The The Prospector's Union)
June 3 Fredericton, NB @ Crumbs Cafe w/The Prospector's Union
June 4 Saint John, NB @ A Khord w/The Prospector's Union and Daniel Ledwell
June 5 Grand Falls, NB @ Suzanne's Club w/The Prospector's Union
June 6 Halifax, NS @ The Marquee Club
June 10 Ottawa, ON @ Avant Garde Bar w/The Prospector's Union
June 11 Toronto, ON @ Free Times Cafe w/The Prospector's Union
June 12 Toronto, ON @ The Local w/The Prospector's Union
June 13 Toronto ON @ Not My Dog w/The Prospector's Union
June 16 Niagara Falls, ON @ Brad Vuggum Cafe
June 17 London, ON @ Grooves (in-store)
June 19 Hamilton, ON @ QQ Teashop
June 20 Guelph, ON @ The Red Brick Cafe (6 p.m.)
June 20 Guelph, ON @ Jimmy Jazz
June 21 Ajax, ON @ Woodlawn (house concert)
July 11 Lower Prospect, NS @ ECO Boathouse And Wharf
July 18 Liverpool, NS @ The Mercy House
July 19 Peggy's Cove, NS @ The Old Red Schoolhouse
July 24 Halifax, NS @ House concert
July 25 Antigonish, NS @ Evolve Festival
July 29 Halifax, NS @ The Seahorse Tavern
Aug. 15 Rothesay, NB @ Sessions Cafe & Pub
Aug. 16 Liverpool, NS @ The Mersey House
Aug. 22 Halifax, NS @ Local Jo's Cafe
Aug. 23 Meteghan, NS @ Les Productions De La Grange
Sept. 9 Vancouver, BC @ The Roundhouse
Sept. 19 Halifax, NS @ Local Jo's Cafe
Oct. 11 Halifax, NS @ House concert
Oct. 17 Halifax, NS @ Local Jo's Cafe
Nov. 14 Petite Riviere, NS @ Little River Folk