(updated 05 November 2005) While her album Test-Drive Songs presents the closest allusions to these highly acclaimed singer songwriters, Charlotte Martin's In Parentheses and On Your Shore reveal an artist with significant individuality and great promise.

Charlotte's previous recordings Mystery, Magic & Seeds and One Girl Army both unavailable to the public demonstrate the artist's formation and are a testament to her extensive vocal and piano training. Some of the songs from both emerge in various forms in Charlotte's commercial releases.

On Charlotte Martin's four song EP "In Parentheses," her earlier Tori Amos influences, whilst still there, are less obvious. The opener "Your Armor" has something distinctly individualistic about it.

More mellow and reflective than some of her work, she takes the opportunity to use her well-trained voice to great effect. The EP has drawn significant attention to Charlotte's music and includes with two songs from the never-released One Girl Army and two new offerings.

The title track while enjoyable, is possibly the weakest on the disc, despite the powerful ending. There follows a revamped version of "Pretty Thing." It is such a good song that it could be played on spoons and still work beautifully.

The final track "Monster" again shows a more confident Charlotte emerging. Signed to RCA, this EP works well as an appetiser for her first full length CD, On Your Shore released in the summer of 2004. The well-produced EP is available exclusively as a digipak.