10 September 2009
Wears The Trousers Magazine
Katherine Stanton


Put simply, Gywneth Herbert's All The Ghosts is the neatest mess ever made. Four albums into her career, she's dispensed with filler entirely, stocking up instead on surprisingly varied, clean and sharp songwriting. Her previous album, Between Me & The Wardrobe, led some to describe her as a jazz-folk songstress, but there's nothing here that stays still long enough to be labelled. Herbert flirts with so many genres and musical eras that it is near impossible to categorise her. Each track dips in and out of the orchestra pit, plucking out whichever instruments best suit its purposes, slotting in perfectly with Herbert's sublimely tractable vocals, along with sparingly applied electronic touches.

It'll be nothing short of a tragedy if Herbert fails to find success with the addictive, lyrically playful ‘Annie's Yellow Bag' or the three-minute pop circus that is ‘Jane Into A Beauty Queen'. Both tracks boast a cheekier side to Herbert's vocals, full of a confidence that poses a worthy challenge to her contemporary female chart-toppers, while a stirring, emotional cover of David Bowie's ‘Rock N Roll Suicide' is a worthy bonus addition. If you're seeking astoundment through accessible innovation, look no further than this impressive collection. Don't believe the title: everything here is alive, red blooded and breathtaking.