Mazzy Star
's debut,
She Hangs Brightly
, picks up where
Opal
's
Happy Nightmare Baby
left off; merely exchanging
Kendra Smith
's languorous vocals for the more sultry presence of
Hope Sandoval
,
David Roback
continues chasing the
neo-psychedelic
holy grail he's pursued since his days with
the Rain Parade
, albeit with mixed success here. After opening with a pair of standouts, the dreamy
"Halah"
and the
garage
-inspired
"Blue Flower,"
the album quickly loses focus, and even the group's solid grasp of atmosphere and texture can't overcome the songs' distinctly unmemorable melodies. ~ Jason Ankeny