"Musique noir, ok I think I need a drink... It's not jazz, but I like this record. Haunting, confessional poetry alongside waltzy twang." (D. Kahre, The Green Mill, Chicago)............................................................ ....................."You've got a unique sound happening here, what comes to mind are the Cowboy Junkies and early Velvet Underground. I especially like album tracks 1, 2 and 4." (Laney Goodman, host, Women On Air) ............................................................ .................. "Silk & Olive is the musical project of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Andy Fish from Portland, OR. Although her new record continues in a melancholic tone similiar to the previous release “Small Dark Lightâ€, “Trouble in The Tea Leaves†sounds more refined, each track flowing into the next like a moody film score. Fish’s vocal timbre situates somewhere between Cat Power and Tanita Tikaram, blending luster with a quiet intimacy. The opening track, “Softly†begins as a classical composition and evolves into a piece not unlike something Hooverphonic might release. The picturesque meandering of Michael Grossman’s violin colours the landscape nicely alongside guitar and occasional moog and mellotron. In “Wapsianaâ€, Scott Weddle’s lap steel, with violin, creates a splendid, nostalgic backdrop to a sad tale about small town life. The next song brings a Tom Waits-esque shift, as “Bad Baby Pie†swaggers with distorted vocals and Jolie Clausen's quirky, trashy percussion. The glory years of ELO come alive in “DC Comic†and the record ends with a decidedly Suzanne Vega-like track, “Piecesâ€. Fish has put forward a dark, sensitive and intense album which has earned repeated listenings in my stereo. I recommend cozying up in a warm seat to explore the sweet, subtle resonance of Silk & Olive." (Blowfish, Rootstime Magazine, www.rootstime.be) ............................................................ ........................... "I recognize that there is a certain level of sadness associated with the human condition" muses Andy, "writing music is one of the most beautifully narcissistic ways of addressing those minute little scenarios of our existence. And it's cheaper than therapy." Haunting and nostalgic, S & O's melodic narrative tends to be stylistically sad or seductive, lyrically dwelling in the shadowy spaces of discordance, truth and eros.<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ;<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ;<<"TROUBLE IN THE TEA LEAVES" was released on September 20, 2008, to a packed house at Mississippi Pizza in Portland, Oregon. It is available on CD and limited press transparent red vinyl. The LP version includes a live track from a sold-out, Valentine's Day 2008 Mississippi Studios show. Get the CD here:The vinyl version can be found in Portland at: Mississippi Records, Q is for Choir, Green Noise, Music Millenium, Everyday Music, itunes and CD Baby:2005's "SMALL DARK LIGHT", featuring "Clementina", "Sea Heart" & "Silence", is available on itunes and CD Baby:
