''A Thousand Shark's Teeth'' is the second studio album from the American rock group
My Brightest Diamond
My Brightest Diamond is the project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Nova. The band has released five studio albums and a remix album, five studio EPs and four remix EPs, and made several tours across the United States.
Histo ...
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Content
The eleven-track album was released on vinyl, compact disc, and digital download with Asthmatic Kitty, on 2 June 2008. It was produced and arranged by Worden, and recorded in Los Angeles, California and New York City, and Berlin, Germany, by Husky Höskulds, who also mixed the album. The album took six years to complete, and was originally conceived to be recorded as string quartet pieces. In comparison with their prior album, ''
Tear It Down'', ''A Thousand Shark's Teeth'' contains more orchestration, elegant instrumentation and arrangements, and features soprano and pizzicato strings, strings, keys and percussion. It draws comparison to the music of French composer Maurice Ravel, musicians Tricky, Evelyn Glennie and Tom Waits, and the group Portishead.
The bonus track "The Gentlest Gentleman" was included with a download of the album via the iTunes store.
Reception
A review by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
says that "strangely, despite the album's elaborate scope, at times ''A Thousand Shark's Teeth'' is too subtle to make a strong initial impression. However, when the album does connect -- usually when the arrangements and melodies are more direct -- the results are stunning. As it stands, ''A Thousand Shark's Teeth'' is beautiful, more than a little insular, and ultimately intriguing for anyone willing to listen closely." ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' calls Worden "a creative chameleon with endless wells of technical skill," and says the song "The Gentlest Gentleman" is a "stunningly simple ukelee ditty
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
gives the singer away more than a thousand of violins ever could."
''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' says it is "a swooning, big-gestured album to get lost in
discovering new complexities and subtleties each time." A mixed review from ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' describes ''A Thousand Shark's Teeth'' as a "bleaker, creepier expansion of Worden's symphonic rock," but note the song "From the Top of the World" "balanc
sspace, ambient hissing, darkness, mystery, and melody with the patience that made ''Workhorse'' catch on."
Track listing
All tracks are written by Shara Worden.
References
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External links
Official press releasefrom mybrightestdiamond.com
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thousand Shark's Teeth, A
2008 albums
Asthmatic Kitty albums
My Brightest Diamond albums