Phillip Glass, Brian Eno, Kate Bush, Talking Heads, Bill Frisell, Dead Meadow, Nino Rota, Charlie Haden, Blondie, Gruff Rhys, Tom Waits, our grandmothers and kittens...
The love affair continues. Like two schoolgirls living richly in a self devised world of cave trolls and tormented princesses, Miss Murgatroid (aka Alicia J. Rose) and Petra Haden mesh their collective imaginations to deliver majestic themes culled from the ether itself. Reuniting after more than a six year hiatus, Miss M and Miss Haden convene anew for another bout of ebullient sonic symbiosis.
Their last effort, Bella Neurox, met with critical acclaim and delighted fan frenzy. Their simple but unique combination of accordion, violin and voice delved into waters deep and strange, with a mix of vocals and instrumentals that transported the listener to eerie dark alleys, lush Italian seasides and the false bottoms of haunted toychests.
Their newest effort Hearts & Daggers, offers 9 new tracks of absolute symphonic loveliness. Fueled by mutual heartache, spectral visions, grandiose baroque fantasies and their undying fondness for one another’s brains, Miss M and Petra have truly outdone themselves. Layering vocals, violin, viola and accordion in ways that will utterly enchant and intrigue the listener, this is a true labor of love that defies as many genres as it is influenced by.
Daughter of legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden, Petra was a founding member of girl pop sensations that dog and has worked with many fancily panted superstars - Beck, Luscious Jackson, The Rentals, Cibo Matto, Sean Lennon, Foo Fighters, Spain, Victoria Williams and Rickie Lee Jones amongst others. Most recently she released a duet record with jazz great Bill Frisell and her solo accapella tribute opus The Who Sells Out. She is currently working with her family on a Haden Family album of tunes. Miss M has spent many years berating innocent bystanders with her accordion and her acerbic wit, releasing 4 albums, sneaking a twisted lil accordion tune into cult film "Freeway" and charming the pants off of accordion naysayers everywhere. Recently she has taken to photographing ballet dancers and wonderfully talented musicians.
This reunion of sorts is unbelievably epochal to both of them and the release of Hearts & Daggers is long overdue. Bella Neurox cover artist Christine Shields has crafted a fabulous panoramic painting for the cover that involves an army of angry princesses fleeing a flaming castle. She's fancy....click on our pix to see a bit...
NEWS!! Hearts & Daggers will be released on July 8, 2008 on Canadian indie label File Under Music. Whoo! Order yours now...More updates soon!
Check out this fancy vid from SXSW a couple years back featuring MM/Pet performing "King of Swords" and the Haden Triplets . Yay... Thanks chas speed!
Miss Murgatroid & Petra Haden's Friend Space (Top 16)
We're now accepting submissions for our next mixtapes, please submit your info at www. coast2coastsubmissions. com for your chance to get a spot on the next mixtape!
