The Gentle Waves' sophomore effort, "Swansong for You," is full of evocative, tragic images. The Gentle Waves is the solo project of Isobel Campbell, from Scotland's Belle and Sebastian. The album's junkyard of bells, chimes, vibraphones, violins, flutes, harpsichords and guitars dances majestically with elusive wispiness as Campbell's voice catches you off guard.
"Solace for Pain" retains a twangy, country-western feel, while "Partner in Crime" is a tender, marchlike ballad, and "Sister Woman" departs for surfer-pop territory. But the songs that opt for lullaby rhythms seem flat, making listening to "Swansong for You" in its entirety a chore of petulant fast-forwarding.
