Pitchfork

It's easy to conflate Shannon McArdle's band and her marriage, both of which involved Timothy Bracy very prominently and both of which are now defunct. As if declaring independence, she debuts as a solo artist with a song that leaves behind the country trappings of her work in the Mendoza Line. "Poison My Cup", from her awesomely-titled debut album Summer of the Whore, sounds decidedly lo-fi, with repeating elements that grow hypnotic as the song progresses: a heartbeat floor tom, distant backing vocals, tambourine taps, all woven together by a stoically bluesy guitar riff. "Don't take your time, honey, I'll be leavin' soon," she sings, losing the twang and sounding a bit like Liz Phair circa Guyville. The resignation and slight detachment in her voice gives "Poison My Cup" the private quality of an internal monologue, a series of couplets invented for her to prevent herself from thinking even darker thoughts. It's a country song in disguise, then, documenting the messy end of a messy relationship. When McArdle sings, "I know I've done some damage, but I'm not through," it's obvious she's talking about the man she calls "honey," but she's also singing about becoming a solo artist, which makes this song sound like a mission statement of sorts, a promise to do even more damage.

MP3:> Shannon McArdle: "Poison My Cup"
[from Summer of the Whore; due 08/19/08 on Bar/None]