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After playing the bass with Rodan, pioneers of post-rock and post-hardcore, Tara has formed bands like the Sonora Pine and Retsin (with the writer Cynthia Nelson), and has collaborated with Sebadoh, Papa M, Come, Low and Ida. Her two solo albums "In the Sun Lines" (2001) and "Peregrine" (2000) have a mixture of rural sounds, pop, Tropicana and melodies that remind of Joni Mitchell, Brian Eno and Dusty Springfield, always under the cloak of Tara's magnetism, also present in one of the songs of the "Acuarela Songs" compilation. Now, in the 4 songs of "The Joy Of..." the charming songwriter gives US her warmest and experimental side: post-folk, phrases that go straight to the heart, an undercover cover and an instrumental piece that has a bit of Insides/See feel and loads of isolationism. At the end, something is crystal clear: her guitar burns in less than 19 minutes and then she composes with splinters and ashes.