Jane Weaver continues to steer a brilliant, singular path

Liverpool’s Jane Weaver has always been one of those left-of-centre songwriters and musicians who could easily have relinquished integrity years ago, hitched up her coat tails and drifted across to the mainstream by writing whistle-friendly songs for pop stars.

Nabbing a table at the Brit Awards wasn't for her, however, and so she continues to forge a singular path that embraces all manner of absorbing, non-mainstream music. Modern Kosmology is her seventh album in 10 years, and brilliantly steers a course through Krautrock, femme punk, synth-driven new wave, Euro-prog and psych-pop.

Everything coalesces without disruption – songs such as Valley (Beatles versus Can), Slow Motion (Neu! versus Kylie), Loops in the Secret Society (Amon Düül versus Kraftwerk), and Ravenspoint (spoken word oddness versus crash bang wallop ensemble) make succinct points about Weaver's decision to stay true and focused. Good for her.

[ janeweavermusic.com ]