Customer Reviews

Whiskey Tango Ghosts

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cast your mind back to 1992. Tanya Donelly, freed from the constraints of Throwing Muses, starts her own outfit, Belly, who burst onto the indie scene with their album 'Star'. It's magnificent, a Grammy Award nominated unclassifiable blend of rock, pop, country, psychedelia and dreamy ballads. Tanya Donelly looked set to rule the world, but somehow she doesn't. Belly's follow up ('King') fails to ignite the way that the previous album did and the band break up. After a quick foray in The Breeders, Donelly commences a solo career. Two solo albums on, both largely ignored, here we are with Whiskey Tango Ghost, and the good news is, it's her best album since 'Star'.

But don't get too excited about reliving your college days just yet, this album is a 1'000 miles down the road from the music she was making in the early 1990s. There's nothing remotely like 'Gepetto', `Feed the Tree' or 'Dusted'. For a start, Donelly has chosen an alterna-country style for this album that will no doubt prove a challenge for many listeners. It's 5 songs in (the excellent 'Butterfly Thing') before we hear anything resembling a percussive tempo. These haunted fragile songs have been presented totally stripped bare.

To compliment the minimal arrangements Donelly's voice is clear and arresting and deservedly given centre stage. She's never sounded better. The warm intimacy of the instruments is captured in a way that makes them sound as if they are in the room with you. There might not be a lot to latch on to with initial listens to this esoteric style but, and more satisfyingly, the album slowly reveals itself over time to be an absorbing and complex work. The trademark Donelly hooks are there, but lie hidden amongst the flowing, often hypnotic, approach. It's a meditative album and appreciation requires the listener to slow down to its languid pace.

Lyrically, Whiskey Tango Ghosts seems more intimate and personal than previous works. The recurring themes are the supernatural and human relationships; the latter presented universally, but based upon her relationship with husband Dean Fisher (who also contributes drums, bass, guitars, and percussion, Fisher also co-wrote some of the tracks with Donelly). Marking a new chapter in Donelly's life and work, Whiskey Tango Ghosts isn't an easy ride, but there's much to uncover here.

The Throwing Muses were never commercially big still , they always had a significant , truly devoted fanbase which would follow them everywhere plus many admirers among the critics who always pointed out the strange charms of this Boston band . What made them stand out was first of all , their originallity . They just didn't sound like any other group that was around at the time . Their songs were raw and complicated concerning obsessions and various unpleasent feelings all sung with the edgy , scary voice of Kristin Hersh .

When guitarist Tanya Donelly was given the chance to contribute to the tracklists , she displayed a more ethereal and less angry aspect of female songwritting . Not being able to release as much material as she'd like to , she left the Muses in the early 90's to form the Breeders and soon after that Belly whose first album " Star " , in spite of containing some deeply personal , dark fairytales-gone-wrong , sold an amazing million of copies in the US . All the sudden it was 4AD at the Grammies and the active music press which supported good music couldn;t have been more happy . Belly's second offering " King " had even more neurotic smiles for die-hard Donelly fans yet lacked the spooky , sweet music atmosphere of their debut . Although cd-singles " Now They'll Sleep " , " Super Connected " and " Seal My Fate " deserved a better luck in the charts , " King " just didn't give reasons to the alternative-rock audience to prefer Belly at that moment in time over other still criminally overlooked bands like the Sonic Youth or even the rest of the Throwing Muses themselfs whose " University " also released in '95 was far more direct and meatier .

Donelly's solo efforts which followed were truly exceptional . " Lovesongs For Underdogs " was powerful and gutsy , " Beauttysleep " quietly thrilling . It doesn't take more than just one listening to tell that her latest offering " Whiskey Tango Ghosts " is not a bad album as well . The quitte opposite really . It's tracklist is full of the fragments of a female heart in love , all tender and most importantly honest ( Donelly never really seemed to care about sales anyway - her official site still remains curiously unaware of the release of " ... Ghosts " ) . The only problem is that fans of her back catalogue will feel not exactly dissapointed...more like uncomfortable while listening it .

The abstract mysterious lyrics of the past about dead dogs and sugar-coated nightmares are gone , mostly replaced with a number of declarations of love concerning her husband Dean Fisher : " I Want You / I still want you / i always do / i always will " ( Fallout ) " There i said it i've done you wrong " ( Just In Case You Quit Me ) " You 're the love of my life " ( The Center ) . Musically there are no drums on most tracks , only a guitar , some piano melodies , some country touches here and there . The singer herself has recently said that " i ignored the extra parts in my head and forced myself to be quiet " . So , she turns to simplicity and again it works because she is undeniably gifted and her talents always shine especially on tracks like " The Butterfly Thing " and " My Life As A Ghost " . As a fan of her music since my teenage years though , i miss the artist who knew how to flirt so good with my dark side . It's when i listen to older tracks she has put her name on like " Pools In Eyes " or the musical twister of " Honeychain " that i feel right at home .

For those of you who adore Tanya Donnelly like myself and have loved her since the glory days of Throwing Muses, The Breeders, and Belly, do not look for more of the same from Tanya on Whiskey Tango Ghosts. That's not to say that this album is bad or even lacking; it is, however, vastly divergent from the invigorating and life-affirming timelessness of Star.

The entire album is unplugged (big surprise!) and incredibly introspective, if not somewhat listless at times. Although admittedly, this album will take a few listens to be fully appreciated, it nonetheless fails to galvanize and energize like the Tanya of old did. Overall, I found it to be enjoyable and even profound at times, just not as exciting.

Tanya Donelly already set her personal bar two years ago. 2002's Beautysleep was a masterpiece album of overwhelming euphoria and divinity which finally showcased Donelly's immense vocal ability. It was one of the best albums of the year.

Amazingly, Whiskey Tango Ghosts almost lives up to its predecessor while being a very different record.

For starters, Whisky Tango Ghosts is a startingly intimate affair. These songs are slow in nature. They crawl underneath your skin and permeate your brain. Piano and acoustic guitar are the primary elements to accompany Donelly's spell-binding soprano.

The content of the songs are also very intimate. Many of the lyrics focus on her loving relationship with her husband Dean Fisher, who plays on the album and co-wrote four of the songs with Donelly.

The songs themselves are true magic. Take "Whiskey Tango", where Donelly playfully croons, "You accuse me of fancy talk when I'm just trying to find my words.. These whiskey tango ghosts won't leave us alone - But you are too polite to complain of the art of speaking plain - I haven't gathered a thing". Seconds later she sings, "You're just a freckle away from changing everything" with the perfect mix of seduction and furtiveness.

The opening track, "Divine Sweet Divide" is a compelling piano ballad filled with beautiful vocals and imagery. "Just in Case You Quit Me" winds around lyrics vividly expressing memories of the past hoping to mend the present. The album closes with "Fallout", a ballad simple yet devastating. It is one of a few songs on the album that have a country vibe. Donelly has used this style before to wonderful effect in songs such as "Restless" from her first solo EP Sliding and Diving and "After Your Party" from her EP Sleepwalk.

There's always been a cryptic quality in Donelly's music. Whiskey Tango Ghosts is no exception with its mentions of ghosts, psychos, gypsies, and devils. Lines like, "I've been lifting out the stains from the stones - Planting flowers where you'll never find my bones" from the brilliantly haunting "My Life as a Ghost" are so pretty and moving. Donelly's lyrics and wordplay can be simply mesmerizing, and she is in top form on Whiskey Tango Ghosts.

These eleven songs effortlessly blend together to create a very tight album of an exquisite and particular character.

Donelly's voice is what elevates this to a work of art. It is simply stunning. Her range is remarkable. She can sing sweet and high, then drop into her beautiful lower register without batting an eyelash. Donelly's soothing voice is like a drug. You will get high on her voice.

Overall, Whiskey Tango Ghosts further establishes Donelly's importance in the world of music. She is one of the most creative and artistic singer-songwriters in the world today and her music is simply heaven. Every day I feel such gratitude to Tanya Donelly. She makes each day a little bit brighter.

Buy this CD. It is not to be missed.

I love Tanya when she rocks out & I love her when she keeps it quiet. I do miss her Belly & "Lovesongs For Underdogs" days, but "Whiskey Tango Ghosts" still finds Tanya able to write one gorgeous, catchy pop song. She has never sounded lovelier, especially on tracks such as "Divine Sweet Divide," "My Life As A Ghost," "The Promise," and "Fallout." WTG is by far her most personally revealing & intimate work, focusing on her relationship with her husband. Donelly has matured with sweet grace. I can't wait for the next album!

Although I've always appreciated Tanya's more endearing work (e.g. Another Moment, The Wave, Swoon), I cannot see how a whole album dedicated to the serenity of her life can warrant a four or five star album. The poetry of her music is now gone and is replaced more with sudsy and direct lyrics leaving nothing for interpretation or contemplation.

Sadly, this album seems to be repetitive and tired by the third song in, which, coincidentally is the best song on the album (Whiskey Tango Ghosts). Gone are the likes of Wrap Around Skirt, Landspeed Song, Breathe Around You, and The Night You Saved My Life; instead replaced by slow and melodic twists of the same content and the same rhythm.

I cannot help but always meander back to Lovesongs for Underdogs where the diversity and struggle to develop as a solo artist are truly revealed. An album where love took a back seat to personal growth and abstract triumphed over obvious.

Maybe this is the album Tanya fans were waiting for, but this Tanya fan wishes and hopes she still remembers a hard strummed C and F chord every once in a while. I miss the old you, plug back in soon.

I am a big fan of all of Tanya's work. However, this is the first cd of hers that I like every single songs. My favorites are Golden Mean, Every Devil, Whisky Tango Ghost and Just in Case You Quit Me. I like the quieter Tanya and I can't wait to get her 2006 release. Oh yeah, she is also amazing live!

I've listened to Tanya For twenty years at least in her various incarnations, collaborations and fancies. It's a shame that I can say I've been doing anything for twenty years because it means I'm old enough to say it. What I simply love about this album is that the emotions, tone, beauty, and pace resonate so well with the complexity and maturity of my real life now. Let's face, punk rocking is tiring after twenty years. This is a new sound for her, though there have been hints it in her appearances on This Mortal Coil ("You and Your Sister"), though it's much more refined, mesmerizing and moving by comparison. The sound and recording is outstanding--those with audiophile systems will be in for a treat. Make no mistake, this is not a rocking, dischordant, get up and jump around recording. Some have called it country--but what the hell they are talking about?, I don't get it. No country here. I also have to be in the mood for it: somber, intropsective, intimate. Seriously, I have not found a more moving bit of music in a long while--music that stays with me, that I find myself singing regardless of location. Enjoy.

I was so enthusiastic with my purchase of Lovesongs for Underdogs that I had to get Ms. Dnnelly's other works. While I still do not have Beautysleep, the album between Lovesongs, and Whiskey Tango Ghosts, the shifts between Lovesongs and Whiskey Tango are remarkable. Whiskey tango gets rid of the electric guitars and drum beats that connected Lovesongs to Tanya Donnelly's earlier work as a member of Throwing Muses, the Breeders and (especially) Belly. Most of the music is played on piano and acoustic guitars. Even the precusion goes for a lighter, tropical music for cold climates feel. The result is beautiful and as haunting as the title would suggest.

Lyrically Ms. Donelly is more direct than ever before. Which does not make her less aware of the complexities in live and how they are hidden and suggested in song. The album opens with the line "I have lost myself" and the tries to assure the listener that though they (we) cannot "be as one" they should not worry. The next song "Every Devil" describes the difficulty of connecting as she would like to with to whom she sings as well as the worldly problems that occupy her time. It is magnificently sad with no self pity.

Difficulties with communication also underlay the song "Whiskey Tango." Here the problems are addressed on an intra personal level as she sings "you accuse me/ of fancy talk/ when I'm just trying to find the words." She discusses the way her past agitation continues to affect her view, even as shw no longer is "the young girl making waves." It is tempting to find an autobiography in here referencing her changes from indi-rock teen to anit-folk adult she is here. But there are plenty of hints not to take this material as autobiographical. It took me a while to warm up to the next song, "Just in Case You Quit Me." It has some very off kilter syncopation which work well with lyrics about needing someone you cannot help but insult. "Butterfly Thing" was the first song on it that I fell under on this album. It is hypnotic in its dread and wonder about the effect that you can have on people. It is quiet beautiful and probably the most accessible on the album.

"My Life as a Ghost" shares the sentiments with Alice Seabold's "The Lovely Bones." It has a tragic atmosphere whose quietness is belied by the restless life cut short. This is followed by "The Center," which seems like a straight forward love song. Only the metaphors she uses make the loved one seem more like a kami than a human. Which dovetails with the opening lines of the next song "Golden Mean" where she is not afraid of the possibility of her power. "The Promise" breaks you heart with how easy and simple it could be, if we were not.

"Story High" is currently my favorite song on the album. The song is like someone being calm in the face of hysterics. Or is it the other way around? She is in her own mythological world here with the references to "acrobats, and liars, paper moons in macro-skies." "Fall out" has a tragic feel that complements the albums opener, where the worrier has become paralyzed by fear and the singer must demonstrate that it is alright to have little control. The album closes with a traditional hymn, which is surprising, but magical in her voice.

I have mixed feelings about this CD. It almost sounds like she is trying to sound like sister Kristen Hersh, who does this style of stripped down music much better. I love Tanya for her power pop and even a drummer would have added a star to my review.