The White Ghost Shivers return in fine form for their sophomore release Nobody Love You Like We Do. The tightly intertwined yet playful nature of the band's live show really comes through in the songs. The seven musicians in this bawdy band have some serious chops. No cheap novelty act here."White Trash Fast Food" begins with minor key tenor banjo strumming and that great style of upright bass playing that sounds like the strings are being hit with drum sticks. This song has an overall gypsy jazz feel and has guitar, clarinet and violin solos. The warbled vocals are harmonized well between Cella Blue and Hot Thomas. "Short Haired Girl" has a similar formula but with a frenetic speed.
Conjuring up the vibe of a 1920s dance hall or a sleepy riverboat cruise, "Nobody Loves You" tells the familiar story of someone who's been done wrong by their lover. The newest Shiver, piano player Babyface Gray really shines here with some great ragtime-like playing.
"Too Easy" definitely has the feel of the album's cover, a wild train barreling down the rails. Poppiticus' bass playing, like in "White Trash," drives the song forward. This is augmented by some great undulating up and down clarinet.
Staring with a smoky, melancholy clarinet intro, "Some Things A Girl Can't Give Away" picks up into a bluesy number with some great nuanced, lush vocals from Ms. Blue. A great piano solo brings to mind great bluesman Roosevelt Sykes. A nearly overblown (nearly to the point of squeaking) clarinet solo adds some raucousness.
"Sweet The Monkey" is about a terrible and sneaky criminal who may or may not be an actual monkey. Deep saxophone, probably a baritone, augments the ominous feel the band is going for, as does the percussive piano. Professional beanpole Shorty Stump provides dramatic lead vocals, augmented by Cella Blue.
A staple of White Ghost Shivers, "Sweet Banana," now has a studio version. This is a calypso-inspired song with a lot of ukulele (banjo-uke and otherwise). A jagged violin solo bridges the song. For good old-fashioned double entendres and innuendos, this song is one of the best in the Shivers' bag of tricks.
"Murder In The Big Top" could be considered a Halloween song. It has a spooky tone thanks to undulating clarinet and the ghostly sounds of a musical saw. The violin solo, thin, muffled and crackly, interestingly sounds like it's being played through a transistor radio. The deep vocals that accompany the line "murder in the big top" bring to mind Lonesome Wyatt from goth-country duo Those Poor Bastards.
"Maybe Mary Might Marry Me" is a great ballad of unrequited love, somewhat in the dance style of "Nobody Loves You." Lilting clarinet and violin and a steady tenor banjo strum drive the song. There also might be a slide whistle solo here, though it's hard to distinguish from the clarinet and saxophone.
Almost a minor key sea shanty, at least for the music, "We Never Mention Aunt Clara," is about a preacher having an affair with the titular aunt. The song features one of the best double entendres on the album with "pumping her organ." Interestingly, the chorus is kind of an upbeat waltz that's almost children's song like, which doesn't fit with the theme very much. This song also has some of Cella Blue's best vocals on the album.
There are many more instrumental breaks on the album than on the band's debut Everybody's Got 'Em. A lesser band might have fallen into a repetitive trap with this but The White Ghost Shivers shine in their ability to weave everything together in a skilled and lively manner that feels spontaneous. Each member of the band is just as adept at being a rhythm player as they are a soloist. Of particular note is horn player Saturn, who really excels all over this album. The band also clearly have a unique sound but are unafraid to mingle multiple styles to create a good song. If this album doesn't make a listener want to see a White Ghost Shivers live show than said listener must just not like fun.
