Personnel: Rachael Yamagata (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, glockenspiel); Ray LaMontagne (vocals, acoustic guitar); John Alagia (acoustic guitar); Mike Bloom (electric guitar, dobro); Cameron McGill (electric guitar, piano); Mike Mogis (electric guitar, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, Moog synthesizer); Josh Grange, Mark Goldenberg, James Valentine, Michael Chavez (electric guitar); Kevin Salem (dobro); Kimberly Salistean, Donna Carnes, Lorenza Ponce, Antoine Silverman, Becky Doe (violin); Chris Cardona, Cynthia Ricker (viola); Jane Scarpantoni, Oliver Kraus, Tracy Sands (cello); Peck Allmond (flute); Owen Kotler (clarinet); Marilyn Coyne (oboe); Robert Carlisle (French horn); Daniel Clarke (Fender Rhodes piano); Nate Cambell (marimba); Pete Donovan (double bass); Catherine Popper (upright bass); Davey Faragher, Jen Condos (bass guitar); Chris Giraldi, Jon O'Reilly, Sean O'Keefe, Jay Bellerose, Jason Boesel (drums); Than Luu (congas, percussion); Matthew Cullen (gong); Maria Taylor (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: John Alagia; Mike Mogis; Brian Scheuble.
Arrangers: Rachael Yamagata; Oliver Kraus; Nate Walcott; Becky Doe.
Singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata followed up the success of her breakthrough debut, HAPPENSTANCE, with a one-two punch of the double album ELEPHANTS.TEETH SINKING INTO HEART. ELEPHANTS features more of the tuneful, sometimes dark piano-led adult contemporary rock that struck a chord with listeners on HAPPENSTANCE. TEETH SINKING INTO HEART features more electric guitar and a leaner, driving sound, proving that Yamagata is no retiring violet. Both discs brim with intense, moving, artfully tailored songcraft.
What the critics say...
Rolling Stone (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis delivers some of his lushest work ever on cuts like 'Sunday Afternoon,' helping Yamagata bring drama that smolders more than shouts, and is no less gripping for it."
Spin (p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Delicate piano and acoustic guitar melodies lay across strings and muffled beats, while her smoky voice mourns lovers who leave at a bad time and return at a worse one."
Entertainment Weekly (p.73) - "Yamagata's delivery is gorgeous....['Elephants'] belongs in the canon of great spurned-lover songs..."
