The second collaborative album between Miss Murgatroid and Petra Haden, following some years after Bella Neurox, finds the two performers' aesthetics just as intriguingly in tune with each other as before -- it's not too much to say that for all the deserved attention both have received for their individual work, their collaborations take them to a spot they might not have found on their own. Hearts and Daggers isn't just a matter of blending styles and voices -- as the sweeping drone-then-exultant Arabian pop hints of the opening "We Formulate" shows, it's the whole package, an instant setting of mood that lets strings and accordion combine and recombine. This same sense of the familiar and the proudly artistic defines all of Hearts and Daggers, with Murgatroid's and Haden's singing often wordless, relying on the timber of their voices, sometimes in harmony but more often playing against each other, much like their respective instruments, to suggest moods rather than dictate them through specific word choices. "See Me See Me" is a stellar example of this, the music moving from gently tense to calm and then sweetly playful, their vocals cascading back and forth over the music before switching back to the more tightly wound feeling once more. As a result, though, when they do switch to straightforward lyrics, as they suddenly do in "Fade Away" before shifting to a gorgeous Beach Boys-style descending melodic collage, or right from the start with "Something's Wrong," Murgatroid's one solo writing credit on the album, the feeling is almost one of shock. ~ Ned Raggett
Personnel: Miss Murgatroid (vocals, accordion); Petra Haden (vocals, violin, viola); Kraqr (drum programming).
Miss Murgatroid - Hearts And Daggers Album Track Listing
Trk
Song
1
We Formulate (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
2
Hummingbird (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
3
Fade Away (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
4
Baroque Lullaby (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
5
See Me See Me (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
6
Sleeper
7
Something's Wrong (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
8
Ballad For Anne Bonney (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
9
Another Day (with Petra Haden, Petra Haden)
Hearts And Daggers Review
Hearts And Daggers Music Reviews
Guidelines Remember to focus your comments on Miss Murgatroid - Hearts And Daggers CD. Check our review guidelines for specific details regarding customer review policy.
To submit your review, please fill out the above form and click "Submit Review." A staff member will then verify your review meets our guidelines. Upon approval, your review will be published within a few days.
Please do not use this form to comment on web site errors or for order related questions. If you have concerns of this nature, please contact customer service by filling out this form.
Share this Product