Love and Its Opposite Strange Feeling ***

Tracey Thorn took 25 years to follow up her solo debut with 2007's

Out of the Woods

- blame motherhood, marriage and the small matter of a successful career with Everything But the Girl. The gestation period of her third instalment has been a comparatively succinct one, although you can't tell by its reflective contents. Thorn's background in dance music may rear its head on several vaguely electronic tracks here (perhaps due to producer Ewan Pearson's steering hand), but these songs are mostly rich, orchestral and organic compositions that follow a steady arc. At 47, her voice is as compelling as ever - not least when teamed with Jens Lekman's sonorous tones on Lee Hazlewood cover

Come on Home to Me

, while the bouncy indiepop of

Hormones

rivals Belle & Sebastian for jubilant tweeness. See traceythorn.com

Download tracks

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Hormones, Come on Home to Me