beautysleep

It’s funny: When Tanya Donnelly left Throwing Muses to form Belly, she headed in a prettier, more melodic musical direction. Now, on her second solo album, Donnelly sounds like she wishes she was back crafting the Muses’ swirling, off-kilter pop. She hasn’t entirely ditched the sparkling, jangly hooks that drove Belly gems like “Feed the Tree” and “Super-Connected,” but on beautysleep they’re buried under murky arrangements and ethereal production. None of this is particularly troubling; in fact, the album’s dark-hued touches help steer Donnelly safely away from the more saccharine fluff she’s often accused of pushing. The haunting opener, “Life Is But a Dream,” sets the tone with Donnelly’s voice swooping in and out of a shadowy bog of organ-washed sounds. Of course, her voice is still sugary as ever, highlighting the bright spots in bittersweet tunes such as “The Storm” and “Keeping You.” Some will undoubtedly continue to dismiss her as a bit of a pop lightweight, but beautysleep makes a strong case that she’s not.