After the uneven but very promising debut album Grey Will Fade, it was going to be interesting to see where Charlotte Hatherley would take her music in terms of development. The Deep Blue answers that question by decidedly veering away from her affinity to Kim Wilde, the Ramones, and other straight-ahead rock purveyors. Starting with the instrumental Cousteau, the mood is set more toward the atmosphere of Pink Floyd's Echoes, but, in keeping with progressive rock's habits (yes, that's the territory this album is closest to), that comparison alone would be misleading. What we have here definitely leans to the side of challenging music -- this second album shows a self-assured Hatherley setting up a panorama of unique song compositions with no concessions to lovers of power pop and the like (as seemed possible from her work with Ash and from her debut album). Then again, no wonder, given the members of her band: Eric Drew Feldman, who worked with Captain Beefheart, Pixies, and PJ Harvey, and Rob Ellis, also of PJ Harvey and author of solo albums steeped in avant-garde music in the vein of John Cage, Erik Satie, or Olivier Messiaen.

1		Cousteau
2		Be Thankful
3		I Want You To Know
4		Again
5		Wounded Sky
6		Behave
7		Loves Young Dream
8		Roll Over (Let It Go)
9		Very Young
10		Dawn Treader
11		It Isn't Over
12		Siberia