Amy Millan - Masters of the Burial

An integral component in the success of Canadian indie heroes Stars and Broken Social Scene, Amy Millan’s mellifluous tones are somewhat exposed on this, her second solo album. Shorn of collaborators to add skewed frisson to her pleasant yet somewhat wispy voice, Millan has produced a record that is destined to be either forgotten or used as background music in some awful ‘leftfield’ North American teen drama.

Failed relationships can invoke many emotions – fathomless depression, insane yearning and uncontrollable anger to name but a few. It’s always messy, but it’s certainly not boring, which makes you wonder if Millan is faking it as she yawns her way through a thoroughly drab examination of matters of the heart. Opener Bruised Ghosts sets the tone for the rest of the album with tasteful country-tinged indie providing the backdrop to Millan’s voice. It plays out in much the same way from then on with only the a cappella Day by Day and the hillbilly blues of closer Bound providing any kind of variation to the soporific template. [Duncan Forgan]