Cumbria based singer-songwriter, poet, and performer Martin Wardley is due to release his new single ‘Make This Count’ on Friday 12th of March. Produced by Ben Matravers (Hannah Trigwell, Boyce Avenue, East Life) and mastered by Pete Maher (Rolling Stones, U2, Peaky Blinders), the track is the second single from Martin’s upcoming album. The first single ‘Resurrecting the Show' saw wide support from the likes of BBC Radio Cumbria, Lancashire and Americana UK.

Martin Wardley is a prolific writer known for his emotively honest lyrics that conjure up strong imagery throughout. ‘Make This Count’ follows this theme, focusing on how we think about and utilise time. Inspired, in part, by lockdown and the challenges we have all faced, Martin looks to convey a sense of optimism in ‘Make This Count’. The verse opens up with his perception of our daily struggles while the chorus rouses an aura of defiance and clarity exclaiming “I’ve been crawling through the days, Bound down by disarray, I won’t be shamed or damned, I’ll make this count, again”. The track opens to a simple, yet effective bass and drum driven verse allowing for Martin’s vocal performance to take centre stage, building to a chorus drenched in vocal harmonies and uplifting electric guitars. A thought-provoking video accompanies the new single: a timely reminder that even during adversity there may still be a way to make something count.

Martin takes inspiration from an eclectic mix of genres and artists but his own work leans towards a heady cocktail of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Arctic Monkeys and Bon Iver. He is however most notably comparable in both music and songwriting to Nick Cave. Outside of music, Martin releases a weekly segment on his social media channels called ‘Words On Wednesday’ that provides weekly poetry excerpts, allowing Martin the flexibility to convey his feelings of the week via an alternative medium.

With his upcoming album and the hope of gigging once restrictions are lifted, this won’t be the last you hear of Martin Wardley. Follow his socials for the latest updates.