Any honest appraisal of Emma “Scout” Niblett must acknowledge PJ Harvey and Cat Power, both of whom started their careers on the same fertile, dangerous edge that Niblett inhabits. For her fourth album, the Brit singer/songwriter still gets gratingly shrill when the mood strikes, but she takes gentle steps toward sunnier pastures — particularly on four duets with a far-less-affected-than-usual Will Oldham. She’s best when simmering, not boiling, as on the beautifully bleak “Elizabeth (Black Hearted Queen)” and the funny, striking “Dinosaur Egg,” where she forcefully coos, “I’d much rather be a golden ball of light / But still have sex.”
Now Hear This: Scout Niblett – “Kiss” DOWNLOAD MP3
