Ghosts (EU)

Although certainly not the first former girl-band member to ditch her pop roots in favor of something a little edgier, Siobhan Donaghy has without question done it with the most conviction. While her ex-Sugababes bandmates have traveled increasingly further down the pop route, Donaghy has opted to edge away from the mainstream, first with the introspective acoustic pop of her debut, Revolution in Me, and now with the even more left-field follow-up, Ghosts. Produced by James Sanger (U2, Dido), these 11 tracks show an elegance and maturity far beyond her years, taking in trip-hop, blues, and the kind of sophisticated pop Kate Bush used to do so well. Indeed, Bush is the obvious inspiration for the majority of the album, particularly on lead single and opener "Don't Give It Up" and the breathtaking electronica of "Medevac," a "Running Up That Hill" for the noughties generation that shows this is certainly not an album afraid to wear its influences firmly on its sleeve. That's not to say it's lacking in originality, either. The title track and standout is a dreamlike four minutes of backwards studio trickery that is both haunting and mesmerizing in equal measure. And the colossal chorus of "So You Say" shows Donaghy isn't averse to creating potential hit singles. Yes, it may be a little too derivative, particularly the Massive Attack-aping "Halcyon Days," and "12 Bar Acid Blues" is a slight misstep, but overall, this is an accomplished and daring effort that the likes of Tori Amos would give her right arm for. ~ Jon O'Brien