Kristin Hersh has been crouching in the shadows, scrutinising her open sores and gently nursing her inner turmoil for nearly 20 years now. Doesn't time fly? Maybe. But Hersh is a woman who would probably argue otherwise.
As cliched as it would be to mention demons here, Hersh has had more than her fair share to wrestle with. Still struggling to come to terms with the split of her band Throwing Muses in 1996, after a 13 year affair, the loss of custody of her first son and the bi-polar disorder she's long had to live with, no sane mind would envy the things that keep Hersh awake at night.
So let it come as no surprise then that 'Sunny Border Blue', Hersh's fifth solo album, finds her once more baring her soul under the microscope. Largely acoustic, the album showcases a beautifully brutal collection of warped love songs; pristine and jagged, abrasive and tender and always devastatingly honest.
'Candyland', the country-styled lament for her 'lost' son, pierces both sonically and emotionally as Hersh wails with a heartbreak that's impossible to ignore. " I was born with a sad song in my mouth, he gave me a reason to sing it..."
Other songs like the tormented 'Spain', the husky sweetness of Cat Steven's 'Trouble', the bitter and bare 'Listerine' and the poignant 'William's Cut', leave you in no doubt as to the emotions she's clearly trying to externalise.
However, it's too easy to grow tired of the haunting, simplistic chord patterns. The melancholy darkness of each track pushes you away instead of drawing you in. Perhaps if there was more to engage with musically, this album would be more of a joy to listen to; as a collection of great songs, instead of just achingly brilliant lyrics. But maybe that was what Hersh wanted - if life's determined to drag her down, she sure as hell is going to take someone down with her.
It's never that clear-cut with Hersh, though, is it? And sunnier songs like 'Summer Salt' and 'Ruby' promise you that if you decide to jump, Hersh will be a strong and loyal anchor.
