Review Summary: “Ghosts” definitely has its brilliant moments and shows another huge development since the era of “Revolution In Me”. It’s Siobhan Donaghy’s first conceptional album but it is still very accessible and ear friendly – even for mainstream orie
In 1999 she sang the lead vocals of a globally known signature song called “Overload” and then left her band-mates to follow her own musical path. She exchanged guaranteed success for an unpredictable future and just when things seemed to be shaping up, she disappeared again: Siobhan Donaghy, an inconspicuous redheaded singer who once was a girlband’s biggest eye-catcher, is now an artist and follows the long bumpy road of alternative acts like Kate Bush and the Cocteau Twins, who partly fought for success and attention, but mainly carried themselves out.
With her sophomore album “Ghosts”, Siobhan has finally created her first album which can be remembered as an opus. The atmosphere throughout the album harmonises perfectly with the variation in content and gives the record a homogeneous outline.
The record starts off with “Don’t Give It Up”, followed by the melodically eroding “So You Say” – two excellent and diverse single choices which already point out an alternative twist, despite popular characteristics. That proven recipe was used throughout the first half of the album.
“Sometimes” combines a danceable and distinctive beat with simple melodic structures; “There’s A Place” is a ballad based on acoustic sounds in contrast to “12 Bar Acid Blues” which is catchy and down-to-earth acoustic pop at its best. “Coming Up For Air” finally heralds the experimental and intense second half of Siobhan’s little masterpiece record. At this point, the whole album turns into an eventful spectacle which is almost too short. Strong and punctuated productions dominate and cover the tracks of previously sophisticated pop sounds.
“Goldfish” and “Medevac” definitely outshine the already superior tracks with concentrated intensity and amazing vocal and background arrangement. While “Goldfish” mesmerises with stunning elegancy, “Medevac” takes Siobhan to a whole new level. The distorted and opulent production matches Siobhan’s despaired and brilliantly implemented vocals and makes it an outstanding and unforgettable album track.
The album reaches its climax with the rather laid back and dreamy “Halcyon Days” and another piece of creative brilliance: the title track “Ghosts” which reflects once more the album’s concept and sets a memorable final stroke which comes closest to Kate Bush in the early 80’s.
