Howlin Wuelf Media :: Miss Murgatroid and Petra Haden ::

Hearts & Daggers is the second collaboration from Miss Murgatroid (aka Alicia J. Rose) and Petra Haden, and features nine new tracks of ornate yet homespun symphonic beauty. The new album was recorded in Portland, OR in a Pearl District loft-studio engineered by Nathaniel Howard. All the material was co-written and self-produced by Miss M and Petra. Hearts & Daggers is being released Summer of 2008 by File Under: Music (FU:M).

Reuniting after more than a six year hiatus, the pair meshed their collective imaginations to create a recording filled with majestic yet eccentric themes seemingly pulled from another, more ethereal and lovely universe...like two schoolgirls living richly in a self-devised world of cave trolls and tormented princesses. 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 with its nine fanciful, rainbow-hued “pocket-symphonies.”

Fueled by respective romantic heart break, spectral visions, grandiose baroque fantasies and their undying fondness for one another’s brains; composing, arranging, performing and fine-tuning of each of these tracks proved to be a great catharsis for them both. The songs range from deeply personal and emotional to the fantastic and dreamlike, all tugging on the heartstrings one way or another while charting the changing emotional states both were experiencing at the time. The ultimate result is a deeply moving yet playful meditation on heartache and its remedy: the strength needed to love and let yourself be loved.

Miss Murgatroid has spent many years confounding innocent bystanders with her dreamy accordion and acerbic wit, releasing four albums, writing a rock opera, sneaking a twisted lil accordion tune into cult film "Freeway" and charming the pants off of accordion naysayers everywhere. Recently, her not so alter ego - Alicia J. Rose, has taken to professionally photographing ballet dancers and wonderfully talented musicians, as well as curating the live music calendar at popular Portland, Oregon music venue Doug Fir Lounge.

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Petra was born into a musical family, as one of the triplet daughters of legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden. After three albums on Geffen with L.A-based femme-led band that dog she went on to become one of the most in-demand violinists and backing singers on either Coast as well as a critically acclaimed solo artist in her own right. Haden’s solo releases are Imaginaryland and Petra Sings: The Who Sell-Out, primarily acapella vehicles. She’s recorded and/or toured with Beck, Foo Fighters, the Decemberists, Victoria Williams, Ricki Lee Jones, Spain (featuring her brother Josh) and many, many others. Besides her work with Miss Murgatroid, Petra’s released, recorded or performed collaborative projects with jazz great Bill Frisell, Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto and Laurie Anderson. She recently completed an album with her father, brother and sisters of folk and country tunes.

Rose and Haden first met during that dog's heyday in the mid-90's, through Tom Grimley and Win Records, the Los Angeles label alma mater they both shared for their earlier solo albums. The first musical fruit of their friendship was 1999’s Bella Neurox album which met with critical acclaim and delighted fan frenzy. The simple but unique combination of accordion, violin and vocals delved into waters deep and strange; it’s mix of oddly skewed instrumentals and sprightly vocal numbers transported listeners to eerie dark alleys, lush Italian seasides and the false bottoms of haunted toychests.

Their reunion on Hearts & Daggers is unbelievably epochal for both of them as the love affair inaugurated on Bella Neurox has continued in full force. 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.

http://www.myspace.com/missmurgatroidandpetrahaden