Laurie Anderson´s third studio release, 1989´s "Strange Angels", is the pinnacle of this artist´s achievement; it´s a brilliant, intelligent, and coherent masterwork that she´s been unable to equal either before or since. Lyrically, the songs are much more optimistic than previous efforts, many of them reading like Tama Janowitz short stories. Others are firmly rooted in classic literature ("Monkey´s Paw", "The Dream Before" and "Hiawatha" being the most obvious examples). The supporting music is ethereal, almost otherworldly, and works to unify the whole in a beautiful tapestry of sound. Best (and perhaps most surprising) of all, Anderson makes an honest attempt to sing in these tracks, and the effect is absolutely gorgeous. There´s still plenty of wry spoken commentary throughout, but Anderson´s melodic voice is definitely the focus, and it is a joy to hear. The overall accessibility of "Stra