Albums by this artist

Sky Motel (1999)

Kristin Hersh

Sky Motel

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» DEVON REED | STAFF WRITER

Kristin Hersh Sky Motel Rykodisc, 1999 RiYL: Throwing Muses, Liz Phair, Aimee Mann

Has any female indie artist had a more successful and varied career over the past 15 years than Kristin Hersh? After founding Throwing Muses, one of the more acclaimed indie bands of the '80s and '90s, Hersh later went solo and released Hips And Makers, one of the best albums of the '90s (and still her best to date).

That album and subsequent releases were largely acoustic affairs, featuring Hersh's beautifully haunting voice over her trademark Collings guitar. On Sky Motel, Hersh seems to be treading new ground -- electric for the first time since her Muses days, and in good mental health for the first time ever.

Compared to Hersh's past releases, Sky Motel is especially fuzzed-out. Hersh has embraced electronica here, opting for samples, drum loops, and both vocal and instrument distortion. These machinations could have made her dozen new songs sound less inviting, but instead have actually infused them with a poppiness which Hersh's tunes have never had. In other words, there's actually stuff here you could dance to.

Best of the songs is "A Cleaner Light," which sounds like nothing Hersh has ever done, but still works. All wah-wah guitar hook, it capitalizes on the studio for some catchy bouncy fun. But Hersh keeps things varied, as on the album's first single, "Echo," a lounge-y, groovy little ditty.

In the end, Sky Motel is quite a radical departure from the rest of Hersh's oeuvre. It's the Achtung Baby to Hips And Makers' Joshua Tree, which is a high recommendation. Although it's unlikely to satisfy those seeking a companion in their state of mental distress, it just might be the Hersh album of choice for those who like a little sweet with their sour.

DEVON REED |