Shivaree has built a career out of the torch song. The California trio, Ambrosia Parsley (vocals), Duke McVinnie (guitar), and Danny McGough (keyboards), combines the subtle twang of the Cowboy Junkies with the jazzy sophistication of Billie Holiday. The end result makes for the perfect late-night listen. On Who's Got Trouble, they're joined by over a dozen musicians on cello, violin, and other instruments, but Parsley's girlish, yet knowing voice is the centerpiece of their seductive sound. Their third full-length follows an auspicious appearance in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 2 ("Goodnight Moon," from their debut, I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head For Making Me Live in This Dump, plays over the end credits). It features nine originals, highlighted by the reverb-laden "I Close My Eyes," and two fine covers, Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King's wistful "Someday" and Brian Eno's strange, surrealistic "The Fat Lady of Limbourg." --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Album Description
Shivaree turned heads everywhere with their 1999 debut I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live In This Dump. "Reminiscent of such melancholy clowns as Sparklehorse and Tom Waits," said Spin, while NME claimed singer Ambrosia Parsley "was simply born to be a star." Five years and half a million worldwide album sales later, Shivaree return in fine style. Having whet our appetites with the October release of their Breach EP (which garnered great support with tastemaker press and trend-setting radio stations such as KCRW, WXPN and WFUV), Ambrosia and company now unleash the utterly captivating album Who's Got Trouble? Produced by Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, Beth Orton) Who's Got Trouble? is gorgeous, melancholic, and full of surprises, showing Ambrosia again to be one of the greatest storytellers out there. A city girl with an old-fashioned heart, Parsley's bewitching voice is a revelation as accompanied by longtime cohorts Duke McVinne (guitars) Danny McGough (keyboards) and a vast collection of New York's finest. Together, they deliver a standout record chock full of the sort of sex, danger and wit that have made Shivaree such favorites in great ports around the globe. Produced by Victor Van Vugt.
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