Tainted Love: Mating Calls & Fight Songs

Shivaree | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 31, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Zoe Records
• ASIN: B000RHRGRG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,110 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With songs penned by Mötley Crüe, Chuck Berry, R. Kelly, Spade Cooley, Ike Turner, and Gary Glitter, Shivaree's notion of what comprises a gorgeous album of love songs is radically different than Frank Sinatra's or Tony Bennett's. But vocalist Ambrosia Parsley--the Air America network's singing newswoman--is nearly as distinctive a stylist, with a sweet breathy timbre that coats lyrics with fragility, wanting, innocence, or wickedness at whim. That plus Shivaree's textural command make their fourth album more interpretive than a mere collection of covers. A growling industrial-punk treatment pushes the pedal down on Berry's "I Wanna Be Your Driver," and Parsley's warm cooing is the wanton, feminine flip side of Kelly's machismo in "Half on a Baby." Some of the best tunes, like Tanya Tucker's 1974 hit "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)," undergo otherworldly transformations worthy of Ennio Morricone via Shivaree's taste for colorful electronics. And others, like Glitter's "Hello! Hello! I'm Back Again," stay closer to text. But Shivaree are best when they're surprising, and the cocktail lounge arrangement of the Crüe's "Looks That Kill" and the New Orleans-brass-band-from-Saturn treatment of Ike Turner's "My Heart Belongs to You" are entrancing and utterly inspired. --Ted Drozdowski

Product Description

What's love got to do with Phil Spector, Rick James, Michael Jackson or Gary Glitter? Shivaree attempts to mount this riddle in a fractured look beneath the covers and through the keyhole of some of true Rock n' Roll legends, interpreting the songs of these and many more controversial greats on Tainted Love: Mating Calls and Fight Songs. In the words of lead singer/headmistress Ambrosia Parsley, "Rock and Roll may save your soul, but a good man is truly hard to find." Shivaree's twisted, biting cabaret pop has been featured everywhere from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill to Air America Radio (who employed Parsley to encapsulate each week's news in song form). Have a listen to what the fuss is all about.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best ever concepts for a concept album, April 14, 2008

By 

Peter J. Ward (Lewisburg, WV. USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tainted Love: Mating Calls & Fight Songs (Audio CD)

Normally I get annoyed with concept albums. Probably becuase the "concepts" are vapid or superficial. However, Shivaree's new album is a good, no GREAT, concept packaged with Ambrosia Parsley's versatile voice and some really varied instrumental approaches to each of these songs. My personal favorites to listen to are Paradise, Hello Hello I'm Back Again, Cold Blooded, Looks That Kill and Shame on You.

While I still prefer Shivaree's originial work (I Oughta..., Who's Got Trouble, and Rough Dreams) I really dug this album after I'd listened to it a couple times. Other reviewers have noted these are all cover songs, but look a little deeper at the orginial songs and who's behind them and the real cleverness of this album comes out.

Tainted Love is exactly that:

Paradise - Phil Spector (Phil was arrainged on 2nd degree murder charges in the death of Lana Clark and repeatedly threatened to kill his then-wife Ronnie - this makes the lyrics to the song especially creepy)

I Wanna Be Your Driver - Chuck Berry (Chuck transported a minor into the U.S. and was then arrested in connection with prostitution)

Half On A Baby - R. Kelly (facing several charges relating to sex with minors - he was later acquited)

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson (enough said)

Would You Lay With Me (in a field of stone) - David Allan Coe (not sure why this one fits in the compilation)

Hello Hello I'm Back Again - Gary Glitter (arrested several times relating to child pornography - REALLY CREEPY lyrics when you're aware of that fact)

My Heart Belongs To You - Ike Turner (you would have to have been in a cave for the last twenty years to not have heard all about Ike - he is most famous for writing great songs and beating Tina Turner)

Cold Blooded - Rick James (Rick "Superfreak!" James - Most famously Rick and his wife kept a woman captive in their house for several days during a coke binge, burning and sexually assaulting her)

Looks That Kill - Nikki Sixx (main songwriter for Motley Crue, he's been through several marriages, lots of booze and drugs, but hasn't done anything that I'd consider comparable to some of the others on this compilation)

Shame On You - Spade Cooley (Convincted of murdering his second wife)

Good Night Irene - Leadbelly (Several stitches in prison but I'm ignorant of any "rough love" incidents relating to Leadbelly. Maybe it's on here just for being a great song.)

So, if you can't enjoy a collection of love songs written by the perverse and sung by an angel, then this album isn't for you.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars When the moon is full, would you lay with me?, July 30, 2007

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tainted Love: Mating Calls & Fight Songs (Audio CD)

Michael Jackson. Chuck Berry. R Kelly. Lead Belly. Motley Crue. Tanya Tucker.

No, "Greensleeves" is not included on "Tainted Love: Mating Calls & Fight Songs." Shivaree's fourth full-length album is, simply put, a collection of love (and lust) songs, which they reimagine as sensual jazzy ballads and gritty, sexy indiepop -- lots of ringing riffs and slinky keyboard.

It opens on a surprisingly sparkly note: "There is a land I know/Where lovers go and flowers grow... Where time is standing still/And lovers fill the quiet places/By the shore," Ambrosia Parsley croons happily, over a twinkly, trumpeting folky melody, telling us about this mythical lovers' land full of rainbows, flamingos and castles. Someone get me a map.

Tempos switch rapidly for the second song, a cover of Berry's "I Wanna Be Your Driver," a sexy indie-rocker ("I've never had the thrill of riding/Such a wonderful machine") full of fuzz, sizzly guitar, and retro keyboard. The songs that follow vary almost as much -- slow mellow ballads, rattly funk, spluttering ambient rock, swooning keyboard pop, kooky hornpop, and a grinding cover of Rick James' "Cold Blooded."

I have to say, I haven't got the faintest idea how they selected these songs -- perhaps Shivaree just selected the sexiest and/or sweetest songs they could find. But they fit surprisingly well into all the different styles they try out -- about half are jazzy, pop or slow, and the other half tend to be poppier, funkier and more uptempo.

The slower ones tend to have gentle ringing guitars, while "Cold Blooded" and "I Wanna Be Your Driver" has blazing, classic riffs, along with some smashing jazzy drums and layers of fuz. And virtually all the songs are draped in heavy layers of synth, ending up in slow swirls, colourful squiggles, or stretches of retro keyboard.

And the music gets plenty of other sounds -- horns, trumpets, accordions, mellow strings, tambourine, and xylophone. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is almost drowned in samples, rattles, rustling, and tribal drums.

Shivaree didn't write any of the songs on this album, but they do have good taste -- the songs are full of passionate love ("Will you still love me/When i'm down and out?") and sexy odes ("She's gonna turn on your juice, boy"). Parsley's voice sounds a bit crackly here, but she molds her strong, sharp voice into whatever vocals match the song.

"Tainted Love: Mating Calls & Fight Songs" is an ideal title for this song, full of fast-driving sex and devoted loves. A colourful album, full of musical variety.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I've had the album for a while now and...., September 18, 2007

By 

Francisco Partida "Franco" (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tainted Love: Mating Calls & Fight Songs (Audio CD)

Lets get right down to it..."paradise" is an amazing song and i love it, love it, love it (there is absolutly nothing wrong with that track). Another song that really sticks out is "half on a baby", i also think this song truned out great. Cold blooded is fun and sexy in a very "dumb" kind of way. It really takes the silliness of the lyrics and seems to take itself seriously which i loved. Another great song that in my opinion turned out way better than the original is "looks that kill", this song is fantastic. The original was crazy and dirty while this one is creepy and sexy at the same thing which i think is exactly what this album is about. So many great songs on this album.

Now, for the boooos of this album. "Don't stop till you get enough" is horrible. It is the worst track on the album for sure. I'm pretty sure there is more lyrics to that song but all we hear for over 3 minutes is "keep on with the force, don't stop till you get enough". THAT'S IT! I kid you not, that is all the song says and the instruments are barely there. Ugh! huge disappointment on that one. So much that it is the only Shivaree track i hardly ever listen to.

The only other disappointment is "I wanna be your driver" which is a shame because i absolutely loved what they did with that track. Confused? Don't be, i'll explain: Basically they did an awesome job in music and singing it very sexually with lots of fun double sided lyrics. The problem with this track is that for some messed up reason, they decided to add a horrible distortion that muffles out the entire song!!! Why would they do that? I listen to it all the time cuz i love it but every time I have to ignore the fact that the song could have been way better had they not tried to be too creative with it.

Over all, this is a fantastic album. Worthy of 5 star had they sang all the lyrics to one song and not muffle the other one. I love this album over all.