6/10

After briefly returning last year to front a new project with band TOY under the name Sexwitch, Bat For Lashes aka Natasha Khan takes the reigns of her own career once again, this time with a concept album of sorts. As it may seem quite obvious, 'The Bride' is about a woman on her wedding day. Although things don't go to plan when the groom dies on route to the ceremony and our protagonist is left to rebuild what is left of her life.

While the record is filled with those traditional wedding chords, at times she does her best to distance herself from the pattern of the release, which helps it from becoming too stale throughout. Rather than let the concept lead the album, it is kept mainly in the background as a simple reminder of the premise, allowing Khan to take centre stage and produce a series of songs that still fit with her own personal direction.

This is one of the more modest releases we have seen from Bat For Lashes. In the past, she has always had those few singles that really get people amped for the album, but this time each track is made to flow from one to the other in a seamless, matrimonial way. Making it one of her most concise records but not one of her best.