Have you ever wondered what would happen if the cream of the classy, classic 1960s girl groups resided in city of steel Sheffield during these uncertain, contemporary times? It’s a 2 o’clock in the morning query when you’ve run out of sheep to count, but the answer – maybe – is Shangri-Lass, the solo project of Sister Wives’ bassist Rose Love who releases her debut single today.
Shangri-Lass is Leader-Of-The-Pack-puntastic in name, but the female vocal groups of that romantized period sang of heartbreak stained with a darker seam of reality, and on her single ‘Parellel’ Shangri-Lass runs with that, adding psych soaked pop within an unsettling dreamscape. The gothic stomper is taken from her debut EP ‘Over & Over’ EP, out in late April.
‘Parallel started out as lyrics written years ago at the beginning of a relationship that started intensely and ended badly, leaving emotional carnage in its wake. It’s about loving someone and wanting to help them but ignoring your gut instinct.‘
Rose Love grew up in Leeds, and when her hippie parents converted to Christianity and eschewed the deep sins of rock n roll, the music stayed a persistent presence with her anyway – from 60’s/70’s rock Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Van Morrison along with singing worship songs with a live band at church. Teenage Rose left the religion behind soon enough and dove into subcultures which embraced her in return – DJing at her own 50s & 60s-inspired club nights, playing keyboard for a surf/garage punk band, banjo in a doom-folk duo, before learning the bass to join the bilingual – Welsh/English -‘myth rock’ four-piece Sister Wives in 2017.
A recent bout of ill health encouraged Rose to see music as an escape of sorts, and she views it as an esseantial element in her recovery. ‘When you lose life as you know it, you find out what’s important to you and what makes you feel good,’ she says.
The EP is produced by Rose Love and Leia Graham (Working Men’s Club, Drenge, Wet Nuns), who also played guitar, and features drums by her brother Joe Love. It was mixed and mastered by Dean Honer (International Teacher’s Of Pop, Moonlandingz, Eccentronic Research Council, I Monster)
The EP will be released 28th April on new Sheffield label, Redundant Span. Pre-order here.
Photo credit: Rachael Loome
