Pay no attention to the man with three pianos. Don’t bother giving the light of day to the 4-piece string orchestra or the supporting cast behind them. Monica Martin deserves every bit of the spotlight cast by “Unraveling.” Martin’s temporary departure during her Wisconsin band Phox‘s hiatus hasn’t slowed her down one bit, as her voice is still versatile and compelling enough to illuminate any venue. Every word Martin sings has the ability to float unnoticed in a weightless flutter, yet simultaneously and subconsciously inspire a sense of spiritual empowerment. Her tone is so effortless that gets mistaken for flippancy, emitting a slight shadow over the deep meaning of each line. In short, Monica Martin is special, and Violents sure as hell know it.

Violents creator, leading act, and pianist within “Unraveling” Jeremy Larson admitted that the writing of his new album Awake and Pretty Much Sober was completely centered around showcasing Monica Martin’s uniquely powerful voice. After all, Larson’s careered approach to songwriting thus far involves identifying distinctive and commanding female voices and focusing a collection of ballads around them. Martin has embraced her role as the centerpiece of a Larson’s complex project as she openly admits, “This is Jeremy’s world I’m stepping into…I’m happy to be the voice to carry his words.” We’re happy too, Monica.