~ NEWS ~

New album Mojo Cafe released

Hi friends,

The new Kaplan-Shaw CD Mojo Café has been released and is available via this web site! To hear audio clips click HERE. To read a review click HERE. To order Mojo Café click HERE.

~Lou

Mojo Cafe album details:

RAISED BY WOLVES- I wrote this with Creedence Clearwater Revival in mind. We definitely captured the John Fogerty swamp groove on this one. The lyrics are downright vicious. As I always say... "Don’t piss off a songwriter!"

I WON’T LET YOU DOWN- A beautiful ballad sung by Mike. I wrote the somewhat surrealistic lyrics, and Mike wrote the haunting, Beatlesque music. This song features both mandolin and fiddle... a Kaplan-Shaw first!

HEADLINE BLUES- This is what comes from watching too much MSNBC and CNN! My political commentary on war, class, the economy, and the environment. The bridge is a plea for peace and love... am I showing my age?

WHAT YOU WANT- Mike wrote this one with Bad Company in mind. A rock ’n’ roll song with some dangerous bottleneck guitar!

SWEET ADDICTION- Mike and I wrote this slow blues song about an unhealthy love affair. The jazzy guitar, sax and bass lines vaguely recall Steely Dan.

A MILE ON DOWN THE ROAD- Mike wrote this in the Piedmont blues style. It boasts a double entendre filled lyric inspired by Mike’s first love!

TOO COMPLICATED- This rock ’n’ roll song was inspired by a strained relationship and a yearning for simplicity. Again, killer bottleneck slide by Mike.

I’M STUCK ON YOU- I had this funky riff somewhat reminiscent of Little Feat. I gave it to Mike, who returned a couple days later with a completed song! Great drumming by Al... he’s a baaaad man!

SHE MADE ME CHOOSE- An uptempo rock ’n’ roll song about a girl I haven’t seen since 1978. My first impulse was to write a sad, nostalgic song about lost love and faded youth. Imagine my surprise when the song turned out to be hysterically funny!

DANCIN’ WITH THE DEVIL- I originally had music to this that Mike said was "too happy" for the lyrics. Mike re-wrote it as an evil, slow blues. During our live performances, Mike sardonically introduces this as "our happy love song!"

APOLOGY BLUES- After writing Sweet Addiction, I thought I should write a song taking responsibility for my own shortcomings. This is the result. A mean, nasty, lowdown Delta blues song with a three o’clock in the morning vibe.

EVERYBODY LET’S DANCE- Written by Mike back in the ’80s. A fun rock ’n’ roll song that never fails to fill the dance floor!

SHAWDAWG RAG- An instrumental by Mike that was inspired by his mother’s piano playing. When I see Mike play this, it’s like watching a magic trick... amazing!