Tanya Donnelly has been through a bewildering number of musical identities, having played with Throwing Muses, the Breeders and Belly before embarking on a topsy-turvy solo career. Not until now, however, has the tomboyish Rhode Islander pushed her vocal talent to its absolute limit. On Whiskey Tango Ghosts, the instrumentation has been stripped back just about as far as it'll go, pushing Donnelly's angelic tones centre stage. The results are often stunning and beautiful, elegantly crafted songs that require you to concentrate on every note and syllable. Donnelly is now married with a son and some of her lyrics about domestic bliss are a little on the dull side. When she turns her attention to life's darker side, however, her mournful observations are as acute and affecting as ever. A miniature masterpiece.
