It’s been almost three years since Lee Magazine last spoke with Jen Slocumb, the pixie-cute, spiky-haired singer from folk/pop duo Martha’s Trouble.  In November 2008, she and husband Rob were adjusting to life as a musical family of four with son Wilson, now 5, and daughter Emery, now 3.  Her Auburn hair salon had been open for a little over a year, and Martha’s Trouble had just released “EP.”

Today, Jen is just as captivating as she was three years ago.  The salon has been sold, giving her more time to focus on writing and recording for Martha’s Trouble.  “We almost threw in the towel with music…the salon was taking all of my creative energy,” says Jen.  “But I missed music immediately – I just couldn’t give it up right then.”

And who could blame her?  The Martha’s Trouble duo of Jen and Rob Slocumb racked up a number of validating accomplishments over the past several years.  From touring across Spain to being entered in the first round of ballots for a Grammy award, Martha’s Trouble has been poised for success for quite some time.

Red stilettos clicking against the tile floor, she juggles a bakery bag and a latte to an outdoor table.  She’s animated and talkative, but there is a hint of sadness in her eyes as she talks about her recent trip to Canada, where she traveled to attend a funeral for her grandmother, a woman she says was “the glue” of her family.

Jen perks up when the subject of “Anchor Tattoo,” Martha’s Trouble’s latest recording, arises.  The duo worked their hearts out on finding the perfect combination of lyrics and music for the album.  “My mom came down to watch the kids, and we shut ourselves in a room for the weekend,” Jen says.

She and Rob took their time making “Anchor Tattoo,” which is their first full-length album release in five years.  “It was almost like starting over again,” Jen says.  “People forget about you.  We were very passionate about it, and we were able to be very critical this time.”

Released in February 2011, the album has already received acclaim from Performing Songwriter and Billboard magazines, with the latter giving radio programmers “no excuse not to mine the album for multiple hits.”  Jen is humble about the review.  “We don’t need million dollar sales or a Top 40 hit to be a success,” she says.  “We just want to make a living.”

For upcoming shows, a preview of “Anchor Tattoo,” and more information about Martha’s Trouble, visit www.marthastrouble.com.