Sha Sha (album)

Sha Sha
Studio album by
Ben Kweller
ReleasedVersion 1:
2000 (CD-R)

Version 2:
March 5, 2002 (US)
March 25, 2002 (UK)

20th Anniversary Edition:
March 10, 2023 (3 discs)
Recorded1999
Studios
GenresIndie rock, power pop
Length45:02
LabelATO
ProducerStephen Harris
Ben Kweller chronology
EP Phone Home
(2001)		 Sha Sha
(2000)		 On My Way
(2004)
Singles from Sha Sha
  1. "Wasted and Ready"
    Released: 2002
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic69/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star
Austin ChronicleStarStarStar
The GuardianStarStar
NME6/10
Pitchfork6.7/10
The Village Voice(choice cut)

Sha Sha is the debut album by American indie rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and former Radish member Ben Kweller. The album was originally composed of outtakes from sessions for Radish's unreleased album Discount Fireworks. It was self-released by Kweller, via CD-R, in 2000. In 2002, ATO Records released a second version of the album with a radically different track listing featuring many new recordings and songs.

Track listing

All tracks written by Ben Kweller except where noted.

2000 CD-R version (PA 101)

  1. "Launch Ramp"
  2. "Next Time"
  3. "Drink Me Away"
  4. "How It Should Be (Sha Sha)" (Joe Butcher/Ben Kweller)
  5. "Wasted and Ready"
  6. "In Other Words"
  7. "What It's Like to Live in Commerce" (AKA: "Commerce, TX")
  8. "Silent Scene"
  9. "Girl in Between"
  10. "4.40 (Episode 2)"

2002 ATO Records version (07863 68114-2)

  1. "How It Should Be (Sha Sha)" – 1:49 (Joe Butcher/Ben Kweller)
  2. "Wasted & Ready" – 3:51
  3. "Family Tree" – 4:20
  4. "Commerce, TX" – 3:52
  5. "In Other Words" – 5:36
  6. "Walk on Me" – 3:55
  7. "Make It Up" – 4:50
  8. "No Reason" – 3:51
  9. "Lizzy" – 4:06
  10. "Harriet's Got a Song" – 4:50
  11. "Falling" – 4:04

2023 20th Anniversary Edition Bonus Discs

Disc 2 (Demos & Outtakes)

  1. "Falling - Brooklyn Demo"
  2. "Walk on Me - Brooklyn Demo"
  3. "Lizzy - Brooklyn Demo"
  4. "Lizzy - LA Demo"
  5. "Ballad of Wendy Baker - Brooklyn Demo"
  6. "How It Should Be (Sha Sha) - Brooklyn Demo" (Joe Butcher/Ben Kweller)
  7. "Walk on Me - Live at The Double Door"
  8. "Make It Up - Brooklyn Demo"
  9. "No Reason - Brooklyn Demo"
  10. "No Reason (feat. Nils Lofgren) Live at The Marquee"

Disc 3 (B-sides & Rarities)

  1. "Today" (William Patrick Corgan)
  2. "Psycho Girl" (Michael Donceel & Jonathan Jeter/ Ben Kweller)
  3. "I Have the Power"
  4. "Kokomo (with Adam Green)" (Mike Love/Scott McKenzie/Terry Melcher/John Phillips)
  5. "Debbie Don't Worry Doll"
  6. "My Drug Buddy - Live at The Mercury Lounge" (Evan Griffith Dando)
  7. "SHS-10r"
  8. "It's Up to You"
  9. "It's Up to You (feat. Evan Dando) Live at The Brattle Theatre"
  10. "Undone - The Sweater Song (feat. Juliana Hatfield) Live at Fletchers" (Rivers Cuomo)
  11. "Lollipop" (Julius Dixon/Beverly Ross)
  12. "It's Not Fair"

Personnel

Charts

Album

Chart performance for Sha Sha
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) 82

Singles

Year Single Peak
positions
Modern Rock Tracks
2002 "Wasted and Ready" 29

References

  1. ↑ "Sha Sha by Ben Kweller". Metacritic. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Denise. "Sha Sha". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  3. ↑ Haupt, Melanie (April 26, 2002). "Review: Ben Kweller". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ Costa, Maddy (July 26, 2002). "Pop CD: Ben Kweller, Sha Sha". The Guardian. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  5. ↑ Fox, Jason. "Sha Sha". NME. Archived from the original on June 10, 2004. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  6. ↑ Mitchum, Rob (September 18, 2002). "Ben Kweller: Sha Sha Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (December 31, 2002). "Don't Call It a Comeback". The Village Voice.
  8. ↑ "Ben Kweller: Sha Sha". PopMatters. May 22, 2002.
  9. ↑ "B.K Discography". Xanthein.co.uk. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
  10. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 159.