Has God seen my shadow? : An anthology 1989-2011

"Has God Seen My Shadow? An Anthology 1989-2011 is a compilation that presents a useful overview of Lanegan's solo work, pulling representative tracks from his first six albums -- from The Winding Sheet to 2004's Bubblegum -- along with a pair of rare single sides and a bonus disc that includes 12 previously unreleased performances. While the instrumental approach and the sophistication of these songs shift as the album goes along (especially on the first part, which largely moves backwards through Lanegan's chronology), the theme and tone remain remarkably consistent, as Lanegan ponders his soul and the earthly circumstances that contain him while languid melodies drift by, and his voice hits a richly emotional chord without sinking into melodrama".

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"Has God Seen My Shadow? is a testament to his unwavering knack for coming up with clever ways to distill his endless bummer into a wickedly evocative one-liner: the seemingly optimistic titular refrain of Holy Ghost's "Sunrise" is answered with "should've covered up my eyes," while "One Way Street" (from 2001's Field Songs) sets an instantly despairing scene when Lanegan intones, "stars and the moon aren't where they're supposed to be," before taking a shot of whiskey and lamenting how he "can't get it down without crying."".

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