Miss Murgatroid and Petra Haden

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Hearts and Daggers
FUM003 – August 12, 2008

 

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Miss Murgatroid & Petra Haden – Hearts and DaggersReuniting after almost a decade long hiatus from releasing an album, cure Miss Murgatroid & Petra Haden have reconvened for another bout of ebullient sonic symbiosis. Hearts & Daggers is the long awaited follow-up album to their critically acclaimed 1999 debut release, viagra Bella Neurox.

As a debut album, generic Bella Neurox was met with much love and created quite the frenzy amongst the press as well as fans of each of the ladies’ individual projects (Miss Murgatroid has released five albums and Petra Haden is a former member of The Decemberists and That Dog).

Andrew Barlett from Amazon.com lauded Bella Neurox with “Violinist Petra Haden and accordionist Miss Murgatroid (née Alicia Rose) make a startling duo. Rose’s accordion sounds church-organ big in some parts and then like the fiercest ’60s-era electric keyboard in others, while Haden, formerly of That Dog (and the daughter of jazz bass virtuoso Charlie), wields a beautiful tone, terse but rich….This is a wonderful recording.”

The Portland Mercury described Bella Neurox as “Portland’s Miss Murgatroid sings in a low, lush keen, and plays cryptic melodies on her accordion. Her instrument sounds modern and artistic as it crackles through her amplifier, but also channels magical mystery and musty witchery, as if the instrument itself has an historic memory. Bella Neurox, her record with immensely talented violinist Petra Haden, is still one of my favorite albums of all time.”

Recorded by engineer Nathaniel Howard in a home studio in Portland, Oregon in 2004, Hearts & Daggers was entirely written and produced by the duo, save a guest appearance by Vincent Clervi (aka KRAQR) who provided a couple of raw beat tracks for the ladies to manipulate.

Fueled by mutual heartache, spectral visions, grandiose baroque fantasies and their undying fondness for one another’s brains, Miss Murgatroid and Petra Haden have truly outdone themselves with Hearts & Daggers. 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.

Hearts & Daggers was cathartic for both of us, kind of serving as a musical reflection of our changing emotional states and the progression from girl to woman. I think the songs range from deeply personal and emotional to the fantastic and dreamlike. But all the songs are in some way pulled from the heartstrings and serve as observations and meditations on heartbreak, and the strength needed to be loved and to fall in love”, said Miss Murgatroid, accordionist and vocalist from Miss Murgatroid & Petra Haden.

Hearts & Daggers offers nine new tracks of absolute symphonic loveliness. The album could be described as a simple but unique combination of accordion, violin and voice pulled from waters deep and strange. With a mix of vocals and instrumentals that transport the listener from eerie dark alleys to the lush Italian seaside through to the false bottoms of haunted toy chests.

Recent Press

PitchforkMedia Review- Nov. 2008
Portland Mercury Review- Nov. 2008
NeuFutur Magaine- Review 2008
Blurt-Online Review- Oct. 2008
Wide Eyed Nation Review- Oct. 2008
Tuscan Weekly Review- Sept. 2008
Dusted Magazine Review- Sept.2008
JamBase Review- Sept. 2008
Pop Matters Review- Aug. 2008
AOL Spinner Feature- Aug. 2008
Beyond Race Magazine Review- Aug. 2008
One Microphone Review- July 2008
Naturalismo Review- July 2008

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