When You Don't Have Anything Left, She's Got The Music

Almost a month through 2025 already and although there's a lot of incoming new music to be excited about, I'm still immersing myself in the albums and singles that I bought last year.

Today's selection therefore is wall-to-wall 2024 and back-to-back female voices. So many to choose from, I did an entire selection as part of my end of year round up and here are 11 more.

I got the albums by Jane Weaver and Beth Gibbons relatively late in the day, so I'm continuing to discover more about them on each listen. Others, like Ibibio Sound Machine, Xan Tyler and Jo Bartlett, I've had for some while and played and played and played them.

Isobel Campbell delivered two for the price of one, with Bow To Love available on shiny disc with a French language counterpart, Place à l'Amour. I can't choose between them, I love them both.

Of the tons of great singles and EPs out last year, the Blueprints Revisited EP by Ammonite aka Amy Spencer was a welcome discovery via a remix she did for David Holmes. David reciprocates on the EP, though I've opted here for a lovely remix by South Korean duo Salamanda aka Uman (Jimin Sung) and Yetsuby (Yejin Jang).

Anzu by C.A.R. was already a favourite in both its original version and GLOK remix by Andy Bell. Then Sean Johnston came along and delivered a couple of Hardway Bros remixes that blew the bloody doors off.

There were also a couple of international musical pairings for one-off singles that grabbed my attention. Björk (Iceland) teamed up with Rosalía (Spain) for Oral, remixed by Olof Dreijer (Sweden). Meanwhile, Tanya Donelly (USA) collaborated with Gabi Lima (Brazil) on the rousing Golden Cut. 

I've been listening to a lot of Tanya's music since I posted about her last August, revisiting her back catalogue and catching up with her 21st century music. She really is an incredible songwriter and performer.

If any of these take your fancy, click on the album/single title and buy, buy, buy!

1) Motif: Jane Weaver (Love In Constant Spectacle)

2) When You Don't (Salamanda Remix): Ammonite (Blueprints Revisited EP)

3) Reste Calme, Suis Ta Voie: Isobel Campbell (Bow To Love/Place à l'Amour (ltd 2x CD))

4) Golden Cut: Tanya Donelly & Gabi Lima (Golden Cut EP)

5) She's Got The Music: Jo Bartlett (Ghost Tapes 1 To 9)

6) Ziggy: Xan Tyler (Holding Up Half The Sky)

7) Anzu (Hardway Bros Remix): C.A.R. (Anzu EP)

8) Dejalo: Charlotte & Reinhard (Guardian Of Sleep EP)

9) Oral (Olof Dreijer Remix): Björk ft. Rosalía (Oral EP)

10) Touch The Ceiling: Ibibio Sound Machine (Pull The Rope)

11) Lost Changes: Beth Gibbons (Lives Outgrown)

When You Don't Have Anything Left, She's Got The Music (45:30) (KF) (Mega)

Life Is Written In You

Having been listening to Kristin Hersh, it was perhaps inevitable that I would also be drawn to the music of Tanya Donnelly, born a few weeks earlier on 14th July 1966. Belated happy birthday, Tanya!

Tanya and Kristin first met and became friends in the 1970s, around age 8. They became step-sisters in the 1980s, when Tanya's father married Kristin's mother. 

Another significant milestone was 1981, when Tanya and Kristin formed Throwing Muses. Tanya's gone on to have a remarkable career since, with The Breeders, Belly, and a impressive run of solo albums and EPs.

Mirroring yesterday's post, here's a short selection of Tanya's solo releases, although 'official videos' are much harder to find, beyond her first couple of albums on 4AD. I've omitted The Breeders as none featured Tanya on lead vocals, but I have included a couple of classics from Belly and Throwing Muses. 

 

Oh, and Tanya also had new music out in April this year, a new song called Golden Cut, written and recorded with Gabi Lima. It's a cracker.

 

I'd also highly recommend exploring Tanya's Bandcamp page, as you will find tonnes of music, including the entire Swan Song Series of EPs and 'lockdown' cover versions of Bob Marley & The Wailers, Yazoo and Pixies as name your price/free downloads.

The Bright Light (1997)

Keeping You (2001)

Mass Ave (Pandora Whiteboard Sessions) (2013)*

Three Little Birds (Cover of Bob): Tanya Donnelly ft. Grace Bee Fisher & Harriet Pearl Fisher (2020) **

Big Love Bends Time (Live @ The Town & City Festival, Lowell, Massachusetts): Tanya Donnelly & Friends (2022)

Gepetto: Belly (1992)

Not Too Soon: Throwing Muses (1990)

Golden Cut: Tanya Donnelly & Gabi LIma (2024)

An incredible and treasured talent.

 

* I found what appears to be an official video for Mass Ave on YouTube but the channel itself ("Brian") is unavailable, so I'm not sure if this link will work.  

** Grace and Harriet are Tanya's daughters, born 1999 and 2006 respectively.