Learn To Sing Like A Star

This album arguably brings together many qualities from Kristin's Throwing Muses and solo music and delivers one great album in the process.

Starting with the up-tempo rocking In Shock all the way through this album works greatly both as individual songs, covering the whole emotional spectrum from powerful, driven songs like "under the gun", through the driving beat of "Day Glo", classic quite kristin hersh songs like "Nerve Endings" with violin and cello, the album is filled with varied, great songs.

On top of being a collection of great songs for every occasion, the whole album works great as a whole, with one song flowing into the other without any jarring jumps despite the variety of songs, for example the way the energetic Under the Gun is followed by the very peacefull instrumental makes it a perfect whole. Kristin is also going to be on tour for the next few month, which is also a great experience.

I've been entranced by Kristin Hershs' music since the early days of Throwing Muses, through her disparate solo albums and her experiments with 5o Foot Wave. I've not loved everything unequivocally, but when Kristin sings my bones vibrate, and even if I don't always understand where she's going, I'm always glad to be along for the ride.

The songs on Learn To Sing Like A Star feel like a writer and performer more in control of her muse than she may have been at times, and enjoying every minute of it. There are moments when I'm reminded of Real Ramona - era Throwing Muses, even of the melodic sensibilities Tanya Donelly brought to their work at that time, but the voice and the lyrics are pure Kristin. There are also moments when the simple directness we've heard in songs on some of her recent solo albums is to the fore. And there are songs that just rock.

I don't know if I can pick outstanding tracks on this album because I honestly don't think there is a bad piece of work on it. As lyrically beautiful and complex as ever, this is an album long-time Kristin Hersh enthusiasts will love, but it may also be more accessible to newer listeners than some of her other work, and if that leads to those people going back and listening properly to her earlier work, and paying attention in the future, that can only be a good thing.

Above all, there is a huge amount of joy and fun in this album, something that's always been in Kristin's work, though sometimes you may have had to look harder to see it. Kristin never just gives us more of the same, and I can't wait to hear what's next.

Been a while coming, but don't they say the best things are always worth waiting for.

Kristin's haunting moody vocals at their very best. An extremely well written and constructed album.

Powerful almost Throwing Muses like numbers, the likes of In Shock will have you knowing you've made the right purchase long before you get to more melodic numbers like Thin Man.

Its just one of those albums that from the moment you hear the first track you KNOW you're gonna love everyone on it, first play through!! A must for anyone who knows Kristins music, a deffinate for anyone curious enough to read this.

Kristin Hersh's Learn to Sing Like a Star is her best work since Strange Angels. Although not as sparsely orchestrated as Angels, the songs here are as bare and powerful. The urgent drums and soaring strings support from cello and violin on the first track In Shock contrast beautifully. The strings never seem out of place, despite the sharp and spiky lyrics and drumwork, and like Sam Phillips' Fan Dance, Learn to Sing Like a Star is mesmerising as a result. Her voice may be an acquired taste, but despite her status as an alternative singer/songwriter, there are some beautiful rock melodies here, especially on the three great tracks that end the album: Vertigo, Wild Vanilla and Thin Man. One critic described Strange Angels as acoustic Nirvana. Hersh doesn't need noise to convey fury or frustration, she can do it ever so softly, sneaking up behind you and insinuating her unique poetry straight into your brain with just a few instruments. Beautiful stuff.

Probably one of the best offerings from Kristen Hersh. Vocally and lyrically KH is at her best, with her increasingly raspy/hoarse voice (I firmly believe she intentionally waited until she had a sore throat before recording!!) contrasting beautifully with the background orchestral strings which permiate the entire album.

Thankfully she has held back on the wailing and warbling that made Sunny Border Blue a bit hit-and-miss, and has moved towards using the power of her voice to achieve wonderfully epic choruses (Winter being a good example). Like most KH albums, it will take a few listens to get used to, but once you do, you discover the energy that flows through each song, carrying you through the album right the way to the end.

It's the finest album to grace my collection for a long long time.

When Kristin Hersh left Throwing Muses to have a crack at a solo career, she went a little soft on us, with her version of what can only be described as Dirty Alternative Folk. She went acoustic-y and slower without losing an inch of her edge, writing hair-splittingly accurate lyrics and painting our world with her visions.

It was fun for a while.

Learn to Sing Like a Star seems to have resurrected some of the Dizzy Kristin of Hunkpapa and Hook in Her Head Hersh of Real Ramona, only better: she's dirtier, sharper and more gut wrenching than ever before. The first track leaves you in the state it describes - In Shock. It continues to deliver the best of Kristin's promised expertise: bite-ful and noisy with dreamy instrumental intervals, awkwardly timed guitar riffs and needle-sharp words that sweep you into Hersh's musical and lyrical world as if you've just tumbled down the rabbit hole. Tracks like Day Glow, Under the Gun, The Thin Man and Winter (a masterpiece!) remind us that Kristin Hersh is a creative force of nature to reckon with, revere and admire.

For her fans who know her from her solo debut, Hips and Makers, this album is the latest stop of the Hersh wild ride of continual growth and experimenting. The quieter gems are works of musical art and solace can be found in the genius lyrics sandwiched between grunge guitars mixed with string sessions.

Hersh's vocals aged like fine Single Malt Whiskey, with a smoky, satisfying aftertaste that just makes you want to sit down and appreciate for its full glory. It leaves you - much like the fine Single Malt - craving for more and slightly light-headed...

...so sit down and play it again.