Shangri-La (Blackeyed Susans album)

Infobox Album
Name = Shangri-La
Type = Album
Artist = The Blackeyed Susans


Released = July 21, 2003
Recorded = Sing-Sing Studios,
Melbourne (2002)
Genre = Rock / Folk rock
Length = 56:14
Label = Teardrop
Producer = Phil Kakulas, Craig Pilkington
The Blackeyed Susans
Reviews = * [http://www.ozmusicproject.net/magazine/cdreviews.asp?CD=4383 Oz Music Project]

Last album = "Dedicated to the Ones We Love"
(2001)
This album = "Shangri-La"
(2003)
Next album =

"Shangri-La" is the sixth and most recent studio album by The Blackeyed Susans, released in July 2003. After initial writing sessions in mid-1999, [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/oztrax/stories/s975821.htm |title=A cat needs a mouse|publisher=ABC |accessdate=2008-06-26] recording of the album was scheduled for 2000 [cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/14/1060588521248.html?from=storyrhs|title=Sydney Morning Herald "15 August 2003"|accessmonthday=31 October|accessyear=2007] . It was postponed when the band’s then record company, Mds, was bought by Festival Records. The band eventually returned to the project in 2002, after their covers album Dedicated to the Ones We Love. [cite web|url=http://www.amo.org.au/artist.asp?id=202 |title=The Blackeyed Susans |publisher=Australia Music Online|accessdate=2008-06-26] It was released on their own label, Teardrop, the following year. [cite web|url=http://www.sanity.com.au/product/product.asp?sku=1145239 |title=Blackeyed Susans / Shangri-La |publisher=Sanity Music |accessdate=2008-06-26]

The title of the album Shangri-La, refers to an illusory island paradise, a lost utopia that exists only in imagination and metaphor an apt name considering it was almost abandoned as an impossible project. In an interview Phil Kakulas commented

"It was named before, back when I still had all faith that it would be released," Kakulas begins, "but it seems almost prophetic in that we did almost lose it. The name 'Shangri-La' seems to sum up a lot of what the album is about. The songs seem to deal with what happiness might be and where you might find happiness. Also I've been listening to a lot of the Shangri-Las, the girl group, and I like that seedy neon lights appeal. My vision of Shangri-La is much more like Vegas or something like that. It's a fools paradise." [cite web|url=http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/310/iv-BlackeyedSusans.html |title=Blackeyed Susans |publisher=dB Magazine |last=Hocking |first=Steve |accessdate=2008-06-26]

"Shangri-La" was nominated for 'Best Adult Contemporary Album' at the 2003 ARIA Awards, [cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/17/1066364475899.html?from=storyrhs |title=Top of the pops |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |date=2003-10-19 |accessdate=2008-06-26] [cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2003/09/22/1064082908786.html |title=ARIA Awards nominations|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |date=2003-09-22 |accessdate=2008-06-26] missing out to John Farnham's "The Last Time". [cite web|url=http://ten.com.au/ten/aria-awards-past-winners-2003.html |title=2003 ARIA Award winners |publisher=Channel Ten|accessdate=2008-06-26]

Track listing

All songs written by Phil Kakulas and Rob Snarski, except where noted.cite web |publisher=APRA |title=APRA search engine |url=http://www.apra.com.au/site/public/searchworksresult.stm |accessdate=2008-06-26 Note: requires user to input song title e.g. A CAT NEEDS A MOUSE]

# "A Cat Needs A Mouse" (Phil Kakulas, Dan Luscombe, Rob Snarski) – 3:15
# "End Of Time" – 5:04
# "Open All Hours" (Kiernan Box, Phil Kakulas, Dan Luscombe) – 4:47
# "My Body (Has A Mind Of Its Own)" (Kiernan Box, Phil Kakulas, Dan Luscombe) – 3:27
# "Deliver Me" – 5:26
# "Lost Horizon" (Kiernan Box, Phil Kakulas, Dan Luscombe, Rob Snarski) – 4:43
# "Hard Stuff" (Phil Kakulas, Dan Luscombe, Smith) – 3:48
# "The Eastern States" (Phil Kakulas, Dan Luscombe) – 5:52
# "Shangri-La" (Kiernan Box, Phil Kakulas) – 3:27
# "It’s Gonna Rain" – 5:34
# "Indian Summer" (Kiernan Box, Matt Habben) – 2:57
# "Endless Night" (Mark Dawson, Phil Kakulas, Rob Snarski) – 7:50

Personnel

Blackeyed Susans

* Mark Dawson
* Phil Kakulas
* Kiernan Box
* Dan Luscombe
* Rob Snarski

Additional musicians

* Matt Habben - clarinet, saxophone
* Adam Hutterer - trombone
* Craig Pilkington – trumpet
* Jen Anderson – violin, viola
* Helen Mountford – cello

References