EDMONTON - Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Martha Wainwright's childhood home.

There's mom and dad - folk stars Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III, respectively - arguing again, mainly by writing quirky songs about each other.

Kate's sister and folking partner Anna was probably over to the house often, along with all their quirky folkie friends. Big brother Rufus, meanwhile, is running around in an Ascot listening to Edith Piaf tunes and would grow up to define "quirky."

And then there's little Martha. You may wonder how she could get a word in edgewise. How's she going to rebel - by entering Canadian Idol? By baring midriff and singing Disney fluff like Britney? By becoming a legal secretary?

None of those things, as it turns out. Based on her strange and captivating concert at the Myer Horowitz Theatre last night, Martha Wainwright has followed her genetic destiny faithfully (or call it intensive conditioning, whatever) and made her musical mark by being more flamboyant, more bizarre and more over-the-top than any of her supernaturally musical family.

One of the tunes that got the biggest response last night was performed solo. It sported a lovely melody and poignant lyrics evoking personal growing pains within her unusual family, with particular attention to her father, who incidentally had a small role in early episodes of the television show M*A*S*H.

The name of the song: Bloody Mother F---ing A--hole. Yes, I detected a few raised eyebrows amongst folks in the crowd, but that one is an old favourite, omitted on certain occasions, like opening for Loretta Lynn, but gladly performed at folk fests and for 350 faithful fans at the show last night.

We all cheered the artful profanity, having been previously braced in advance by several songs rich with Wainwright's dramatic delivery and vivid, nakedly honest lyrics.

And did I mention a unique voice that sounds like a cross between Kate Bush, Bjork and Joni Mitchell?

If that's not weird enough for you, add in a touch of French burlesque for a faint resemblance to Lily Von Shtup, the Teutonic Titwillow. Her brother Rufus, too, has a thing for quirky humour.

Wainwright's latest album was showcased liberally last night, with material continuing to focus on deep thoughts and uncomfortable emotions. The CD is called I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings, Too, but Martha has far greater talent than just coming up with provocative titles.

The show opened - again, solo - with a new track, I Wish I Were, which is one of the most interesting songs of the "it sure is tough to be a musician" genre I've ever heard. Lines like "the hunger that I feel is the only thing that is real" were delivered with spine-tingling candour.

Perhaps it really is tough to be a musician.

A dependable trio soon assembled behind her, including her husband on bass, Brad Albetta, for several more new songs. Bleeding All Over You, more or less the title track of the new record, is a spiffy, Latin-flavored tale of woe over a former lover and his new wife, and contains lines like "there is cow s--- in your brain and love in your heart."

They rocked it up in Comin' Tonight, which seems to be about an unhealthy relationship with a rock star; folked it up in Hearts Club Band, which doesn't have anything to do with Sgt. Pepper; and spun an eerie groove in Jesus and Mary, another painful story of unrequited love, this one with Biblical references.

Later came older material - including the aforementioned artful profanity in BMFA - plus a bit of Leonard Cohen as a bonus. Particularly captivating was a disturbing song called This Life, in which she sings that life is "still worth living. When it's not, I got the gun for my head."

In short, despite some deserved commercial success, Martha Wainwright is in no danger of being seen as the least interesting musical member of her particular family.