Sweet Heart Dealer

Infobox Album |
Name = Sweet Heart Dealer
Type = Album
Artist = Scarling.


Released = February 17, 2004
Recorded = Winter 2003-2004
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 33:18
Label = Sympathy for the Record Industry
Producer = Chris Vrenna
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:7kd7gjqr46ix~T10 link]
*Amazon.com Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000168A0U link]
*Amazon UK Rating|5|5 [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000168A0U link]
*"Bust (magazine)" (Favourable)
*"ROCKRGRL" (Favourable)
*"Venus" (Favourable)
*"SPIN" (Favourable)|
Last album = Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole (2003)
This album = Sweet Heart Dealer (2004)
Next album = Crispin Glover (2004)

"Sweet Heart Dealer" is the debut album by the rock band Scarling., released on February 17 2004. Originally scheduled for release as "Butcherbourne", the album was retitled at the last minute, and pared down from 11 tracks to seven during mixing at Old Blue Studios in Los Angeles. The songs "A Constant Reminder", "Surgeon General", "Here On Earth" and "Funeral Gown" were recorded then omitted and have yet to be released.

The album was born from singer Jessicka's "melancholy unconscious private moments", her experiments with hallucinogenic drugs in the period immediately prior to the band's formation, and from various outside sources: "Crispin Glover" apparently makes a parable, about the concealment and internalization of violence, of the 1986 film "River's Edge"; while "Alexander the Burn Victim" centers on conflicting emotions concerning the loss of a loved one, and was inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Robert Smith of the Cure described Scarling's music as "dark, desperate, chaotic, gorgeous pop music, the sound of the end of the world" and nominated "Sweet Heart Dealer" for the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize.

Track listing

# "The Last Day I Was Happy" – 3:49
# "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" – 3:26
# "Crispin Glover" – 3:18
# "Alexander the Burn Victim" – 6:00
# "Baby Dracula" – 3:54
# "Black Horse Riding Star" – 5:31
# "Can't (Halloween Valentine)" – 7:21

LP Track listing

Side A
# "The Last Day I Was Happy" – 3:49
# "Crispin Glover" – 3:18
# "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" – 3:26
# "Baby Dracula" – 3:54
# "Love Becomes a Ghost" (LP bonus track)

Side B
# "Black Horse Riding Star" – 5:31
# "Alexander the Burn Victim" – 6:00
# "Can't (Halloween Valentine)" – 7:21

*note. The LP sleeve incorrectly transposes the songs "Alexander the Burn Victim" and "Baby Dracula"

Personnel

*Jessicka — vocals, additional art
*Christian Hejnal — guitar, bass
*Rickey Lime — guitar
*Garey Snider — drums
*Bobby Hidalgo — additional bass
*Chris Vrenna — producer
*Erik Colvin — mixing
*Logan Mader — engineer
*John Vestman — mastering
*Leslie Ann Sundoll — art direction
*Piper Ferguson — photography
*Mark Ryden — cover art

Charts and awards

*Nominee, 2004 Shortlist Music Prize