Search - Shivaree :: Rough Dreams

Original sounding band

Sandy | Brussels, Belgium | 09/05/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is an intriguing band. "Rough dreams" sounds more polished than their first album on the production side, but remains imaginative. Ambrosia's voice is one of a kind and can be mesmerizing. Listen to the difference between the short opener "Wagers" where she sounds like a more than girly Gwen Stefani and "After the Prince and the Showgirl" where she turns into a Soul diva... You feel the girl's character and personality in her voice."Gone Too Far" is a little jewel of electro jazz with a touch of pop. "Thundercats" is a great rock track with electric guitars and recitative vocals. "Stealing Home" sounds a little bit country. "John, 2/4" and its tango rhythm makes me think about some Hooverphonic songs. With "Reseda Casino" (which reminds me of Garbage), it is one of the most radio friendly songs on the album. "Ten Minutes" and its urban feel is also a potential single. "Queen-sized Tomb" is a rock ballad with fragile and passionate vocals flying above the electric guitars. I wonder about some strange and cryptic lyrics though (murder, mental disorder?). Maybe they are connected to the album title?Varied, changing, surprising, it is rare to find a band who dares to leave the beaten paths... If they keep on that way they might turn into a great original alternative band."

Incredible

Matthew S McCaw | Columbus, OH United States | 03/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first found Shivaree by accident when they were playing at student unions in London, and I have yet to find anyone in the US familiar with the band. It's a pity. Ambrosia's voice captures the eerie nostalgia of twentieth-century middle america perfectly. In fact, when I was writing my senior thesis on mid-twentieth century Appalachian poetry, I put their first cd on repeat and I credit Ambrosia with giving me the inspiration to finish my work. ROUGH DREAMS continues the nostalgic exploration of Appalachia, Southern California and all the campy, beautiful products of life in between. A constant sense of urgency and danger pervades the cd, and I'm pretty sure the strongest track, After the Princess and the Showgirl, is about seducing an underage girl. I hope this band, already seductively if tragically marginalized, will continue their work."

2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten

Don't need no stinkin' badge | somewhere in middle America | 02/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have a hard time writing these reviews, because I don't think my words ever do justice to the music that I am most passionate about. I seek adequate superlatives to describe records such as these, and come up only with all the words you've heard before: "brilliant", "amazing", "stupendous", etc. Yet they don't seem fit to describe Ambrosia Parsley and her profound grace, soul and wit, and her and her bandmates' (guitar maestro Duke McVinnie and keyboard wizard Danny McGough) unique and completely arresting music. "Rough Dreams" is a disc that I could leave on infinite repeat and never tire of. It's sad and utterly ridiculous that Capitol shelved the U.S. release of this record. I imagine that they declared that there was no "Goodnight Moon" on it and it was therefore unmarketable, and ignored or just plain missed the fact that this is incredible work.



Shivaree travels across the musical landscape like vagabonds on an epic journey, effortlessly creating charming waltzes, big ballads, indie rock, tangoes, and club jazz. Great music which is the perfect container for Parsley's wryly observed tales of wronged rich girls, lolita-lusting suburban men, ugly mornings-after and romantic thrill as well as romantic ennui. A hugely accomplished sophomore effort, this is just a great, great record and well worth paying whatever you need to in order to own it."