Lunasect

Ever since the tearful demise of the Cocteau Twins, there has remained a gaping void in the female-fronted, shoegazer/ethereal pop category. Chanteuse Jessica Grant helps rectify that here with her perfect blend of sexy, effects-laden vox fitting somewhere between Portishead, Natalie Merchant and the Queen Bee Liz Fraser. She can go from clear as a crystal bell to even having a more jazzy, gritty, piano lounge vibe. Versatility is this woman’s forte. And she is just one cog in the big, shiny wheel that is this damn near perfect band. Daniel Farris and Jonathan Hyatt round things out with that wall-of-sound wash of guitars and programming that takes us from catchy pop riffs in "First Night” to more soundscape-y, interpretive numbers like "Bee Stings and Tidal Waves” and all the way into the depths of gothdom with "The Empty Eye.” With 18 songs, this disc takes you on a bit of a journey but you don’t get lost. The talent of this trio won’t let you down. You just keep listening to see what few minutes of lushness they hit you with next.