One could say that Isobel Campbell's record company are finally putting some effort into giving her career the promotion it deserves. Her second album with Mark Lanegan 'Sunday At Devil Dirt' was only released in May, yet last month we had a totally un-necessary re-release with a live bonus disc (and a version of 'Sand' that made it hard to resist) and now we have a new EP of songs from the album's sessions that didn't make the cut.
Far from being a pre-Christmas cash-in though, this EP is a revelation and well worth a fiver of anyone's money. 'Sunday At Devil Dirt' combined some dust ballads with less successful attempts at blues and soul, this EP focuses on the former, with stripped down, simple arrangements that best suit Lanegan's marvellous baritone.
'Keep Me In Mind..', the only track here to appear on the album, is a lovely, gentle ballad but is bested by 'Asleep On A Sunbeam' a woozy lullaby that sounds a lot like a Christmas Carol that I can't quite place. 'Fight Fire With Fire' is great too, a description of the fine line between love and hate that humourously namechecks several dodgy 1980s heavy metal albums. Elsewhere 'Violin Tango' does what it says on the tin, 'Rambling Rose, Clinging Vine' is a country standard and 'Hang On' is a pretty ballad, sung by Campbell who is sounding stronger on vocals with every record she records.
Much of this EP is as good as or better that the material on 'Sunday At Devil Dirt'. The six songs fit together well so there was obviously a grand plan behind leaving them off the album. This is a really warm sounding record with lots of piano, acoustic guitar and of course Mark Lanegan's voice. No song mentions Christmas or has anything to do with the festive season, but it all feels strangely seasonal.
****
['Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart' is out now on V2]
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