THIS is a lesson in two extremes - both starting from a similar point. Tanya Donelly and Kat Bjelland emerged from a similar landscape - the riot grrrl-fuelled landscape of Nineties' indie rock.

Bjelland emerged fully formed in her Babes In Toyland outfit, while Donelly tiptoed into the limelight, stepping cautiously through Throwing Muses and The Breeders before emerging in her own right, with her band Belly and then, subsequently, as a solo artist.

But while Bjelland's Katastrophy Wife is still trapped in a world of wailing noise and self-indulgent noise-fests, Donelly has grown and become more assured as an artist. Katastrophy Wife is not worth detaining you - the sound of a spoilt brat let loose with guitars and a licence to scream. Donelly is where the sorcery is at. Warmer, more content and more coherent than previous offerings, this is a coquettish pleasure to listen to.

"This perfect day, we make our way to the end of it with perfect grace," she sings on My Life As A Ghost. "I lay my head in your lap and walk away." Still, while there's delights aplenty to be found here, you can't help but yearn for some of the more visceral, edgy work from her Belly days. A fired-up Lazy Dog wouldn't go amiss here - the best of the old Donelly to add to the marvel of the modern.

Updated: 08:56 Thursday, July 29, 2004