Search - Shiva Burlesque :: Mercury Blues

Mercury Blues: a seldom heard zauberwerk by Shiva Burlesque

Lewis N Clark | California | 01/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
"With elegant touches of refined melody, traditional arrangements and lyrical depth...(t)here's a place for 'Mercury Blues' right next to the '80s peak moments in lush, sensuous atmospheric rock...Often truly lyrical, painful and self-exploratory, these are the closest you'll get to poetic words integrated into the rock medium." -Andrew Perry, Select Magazine, Feb 1991



Mercury Blues is the second and final album by Shiva Burlesque, a band working in the underground music scene of Los Angeles in the late 1980's/early 90's.



It's a smart, emotional and eclectic roller coaster of an album, somewhat comparable to artists like Echo & the Bunnymen, John Cale, Nick Cave, The Doors, etc. The album (and band) also would probably appeal to fans of post-modern rock like Radiohead, The Arcade Fire, etc; as well as the group that emerged from Shiva Burlesque, Grant Lee Buffalo.



The 2002 re-release is beautifully digi-packaged and remastered from the original tapes; and includes a lyric sheet/poster, liner notes, and a never before heard bonus track.



The kalaidescopic songs range from to the haunted, White Album-ish title track (Mercury Blues) to explosive pre-Nirvana guitar rock (Do the Pony), to wry, almost Brechtian satire (Chester the Chimp).



At once lush and raw, Mercury Blues is an under-heard high point of it's era."

Great Songwriting & Explosive Playing = Must Have CD

Intergalatic Purveyor | California | 04/28/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Adding new bassist and future Grant Lee Buffalo member/producer Paul Kimble and cellist Greg Adamson to the group brought a new, somewhat more "organic" and sometimes hard driving sound to the mix. This one is somewhat closer in mood and tone to the first two Grant Lee Buffalo releases and includes the song "Cherry Orchard" with Grant Lee Phillips singing which features just the three future members of that group, also Grant sings a "duet" on the song "Chester the Chimp."



This was recorded in a much better room than the first record, the drums especially, sound great with much more varied and professional production. The remastering is excellent which blows away the sound of my original CD. The songs are more wide ranging than on their debut record with the highlights being "Sick Friend", "Do the Pony", "Peace" "Sparrow's Song" and the spy/punk music flavored "Meet Jack Ruby" (you could get shot, shot!) being some of the best, although I don't think there is a weak song on this very good record. There is a hidden track that is a short, funny Beach Boys send up that is quite a gas."