Tracey Thorn - Record

The Guardian 80

(Unmade)

Since emerging in John Peel favourites Marine Girls in 1980, Tracey Thorn has been half (with husband Ben Watt) of bedsit/acoustic romantics turned electronic hitmakers Everything But the Girl; written an enthralling memoir, Bedsit Disco Queen; worked with Massive Attack and sported one of pop’s best haircuts. Her fifth solo album returns to the style of EBTG’s subtly pumping anthems, but lyrically delivers what she calls “nine feminist bangers”. The singer-songwriter suggests that Record captures what she calls the “milestones of a woman’s life” – things that “are not always discussed in pop lyrics”.

These range from reflections as her teenage daughters leave for university (the lovely Go) to her tart response to the male gaze and stereotypes of female beauty (Air’s “They liked the girly girls, and looked through me like I wasn’t there”).

Fri Mar 02 10:30:05 GMT 2018

The Guardian 80

(Unmade Road/Caroline International)

Grown women could sorely use a riot grrrl movement of their own. Because later life still throws out what a disgusted Tracey Thorn, on Sister (a collaboration with Warpaint’s rhythm section and Corinne Bailey Rae), recognises as the “same old shit”.

Thorn is no stroppy three-chord bellower, though, having lungs of velvet and actual 80s pop stardom in her backstory (Everything But the Girl), as well as musical prowess at her disposal. This third solo album – “nine feminist bangers”, Thorn has quipped, with an immaculately raised eyebrow – finds the singer up against electronic backings, drilling down into complex emotions.

Sun Mar 04 07:59:13 GMT 2018