Mark Lanegan’s first solo album, 1990’s ‘The Winding Sheet’, was a darker, quieter, and more emotionally troubling affair than what fans were accustomed to from his work as lead singer with the Screaming Trees. The follow-up album, 1994 ‘s ‘Whiskey for the Holy Ghost’, saw Lanegan and producer/instrumentalist Mike Johnson constructing resonant but low-key instrumental backdrops for the singer’s tales of heartbreak, alcohol, and dashed hopes. ‘Whiskey for the Holy Ghost’ speaks with a quiet but steely confidence of an artist emerging with his own distinct vision.

The songs are more literate and better realized than on his debut, the arrangements are subtle and supportive (often eschewing electric guitars for keyboards and acoustic instruments), and Lanegan’s voice, bathed in bourbon and nicotine, trans