Something About Ghosts

You can make "mainstream music" (let's say songs that won't scare the horse, the listeners or the programmers) without turning it into bland music. Kylie Whitney takes a few more risks than first impressions suggest, even if it's just squeaky noises under the nice surface of On Hold.

The album begins with Heretic, a slow, neo-soul bit where her voice - a little deep, a bit bruised, a fair bit languid - dominates, but there's a little fuzzed guitar that slides in towards the end to catch you (and contrast with the more conventional balladry of Saturn, You're Just the Blues and I Can Make You).

If doing Don McLean's Vincent seems odd then with producer/collaborator Michael Carpenter, Whitney gives it some church atmospherics that adds mood to emotion.

★★★

- BERNARD ZUEL (Fairfax Media).