Save for the occasional overly-contrived pop star, it wasn’t too long ago when cool chicks had a hard time asserting their dominance in a sea of musical testosterone. But then Jenny Lewis and Neko Case burst on the scene (backed up by dudes in their respective indie pop bands) along with Regina Spektor, and MIA and Santigold have risen to the top of the public consciousness this past year.
Instead of riding the coattails of these recent successes, Bat for Lashes’ Natasha Kahn harkens back to ’90s rock goddesses Tori Amos and PJ Harvey, with a touch of Bjork. “Daniel,” the album’s first single, puts Kahn’s ethereal vocals over a synth beat that makes us yearn for more dreamy dance music (sorry, Lady Gaga), while the spare piano in “Siren Song” gives way to a swirling chorus and a percussive ending. Haunting and beautiful, Two Suns is deeply affecting.
4 stars
