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Songs For Suicidal Lovers is the debut album from enigmatic and reclusive vocalist, Shamus Dark. Despite living a life that could only have come from fiction (see www.shamusdark.com), and being involved with music for decades, this is the first time that a recording project featuring Shamus has seen the light of day. And as such it has been a labour of love, on which Shamus decided he must record the songs that had most deeply affected him throughout his turbulent years. Although it features songs from nearly every decade of the 20th Century, Shamus was also categorical that the arrangements should sound like nothing that has gone before:
“I've heard all these 'Standards' albums by these young upstarts where they just take Nelson's old arrangements and re-record them--what's the point in that! If I want to hear Frank, I'll listen to Frank (and I've spent many years doing that), but I'm bollixed if I'm going to sing like him. Don't get me wrong - I love the man - but this album is SHAMUS DARK--that's me folks!"
Featuring many songs originally associated with Frank Sinatra, as well as other classics from writers and performers as diverse as Chet Baker, Carlos Jobim, Hank Willams, and Joy Division, the album really is a different take on what has gone before. Arranged and mixed by Hong Kong producer Pete Millward, known in Asia for his Celestial series of albums (see www.hongkongdubstation.com), the album includes sounds as diverse as Sitar, Shakuhachi and Erhu, as well as jazz guitar, trumpet and down-tempo break-beats. And over the top of all that, Shamus's sad sweet voice.
Like Shamus himself, it's a Dark album, not for the faint of heart.
File under: Queasy Listening.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
