Selector: Mary Weiss
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Mary Weiss, former lead singer for the 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, has been out of show business for more than 30 years. When we last heard from her it was her last appearance with the Shangri-Las in the 1970s at a reunion show. Mary Weiss was known for not appearing on stage with the other three members of the group until late 1965 because she wanted to avoid the exhausting routine and the inevitable pitfalls of life on the road in the music business.
Then, in 2007, some thirty years later, Mary Weiss has reemerged on the music scene with a backing band, the Reigning Sound, to create a wonderful musical offering featuring Mary's distinctive voice and style. The Dangerous Game does not try to emulate the sound of the Shangri-Las but rather pays an homage to the era when her band was leader of the pack and gives a strong look forward to what we might expect from her in the future.
You might think of this work by Mary Weiss as what would have come about if the Shangri-Las had remained together as a group. At the same time, this album doesn't try to be so contemporary that it loses track of the object of the work – the unique and mesmerizing voice of Mary Weiss. You will still hear that Spector-like "wall of sound" but this time it will feel up-to-date and not overproduced. Mary certainly sounds older but she can still display the same sweetness and the same toughness that we heard when she was with the Shangri-Las. The subject and focus of this album is undeniably Mary Weiss; but, nothing on this work sounds forced or out-of-place. She just simply picks up where she left off. And, Mary's Dangerous Game passes an important musical test – it would be just as good if this was a new band or an unknown band. Give it a spin!
Mary Weiss, former lead singer for the 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, has been out of show business for more than 30 years. When we last heard from her it was her last appearance with the Shangri-Las in the 1970s at a reunion show. Mary Weiss was known for not appearing on stage with the other three members of the group until late 1965 because she wanted to avoid the exhausting routine and the inevitable pitfalls of life on the road in the music business.
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You might think of this work by Mary Weiss as what would have come about if the Shangri-Las had remained together as a group. At the same time, this album doesn't try to be so contemporary that it loses track of the object of the work – the unique and mesmerizing voice of Mary Weiss. You will still hear that Spector-like "wall of sound" but this time it will feel up-to-date and not overproduced. Mary certainly sounds older but she can still display the same sweetness and the same toughness that we heard when she was with the Shangri-Las. The subject and focus of this album is undeniably Mary Weiss; but, nothing on this work sounds forced or out-of-place. She just simply picks up where she left off. And, Mary's Dangerous Game passes an important musical test – it would be just as good if this was a new band or an unknown band. Give it a spin!
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