Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt

COUNTRY/FOLK/BLUES

Campbell and Lanegan’s Mercury-nominated debut was a one-trick pony, but it was a pretty cool trick. Campbell’s wispy whimper and Lanegan’s bourbon-soaked growl blended refreshingly over some old school folk and blues, but it wears thin on this lacklustre follow-up.

The main problem is weak songwriting, the pair content to let their odd-couple dynamic stand in place of melody or momentum, plus there are several over-egged ‘atmospheric’ arrangements which end up near parody. The best moments are stripped down and come at the end – the final four songs here would make a fine EP – but it’s too little too late.