Isobel Campbell - Milkwhite Sheets

Former Belle & Sebastian cellist Isobel Campbell finally proved her seperatist credentials last year with the superlative 'Ballad of the Broken Seas', a vocal juxtaposing of her angelic whisper with Mark Lanegan's demonic growl that deservedly won a Mercury nomination. 'Milkwhite Sheets', her third solo album, is a sparser affair, but follows a similarly gentle acoustic path, with bongo accompaniment, Nick Drake strings, and intimate tales of lost love, castles, and other folksy concerns. Loving Hannah, sung acappella, showcases Campbell's gorgeous voice, but while that may be considered her main weapon, it's telling that two of 'Milkwhite Sheets' best tracks, James and the foreboding Over The Wheat & Barley, are instrumentals. More than a one-trick pony, Campbell's once-dubious career-choice now looks positively inspired. [Ally Brown]