Sometimes you see an artist that just hits you smack dab in the middle of your heart. Shilpa Ray is an incredible blend of grinding blues, sleazy jazz, and disturbing rock tied together with pop and punk sensibilities; the result sounding something like a vulgar Ella Fitzgerald, channeling Nick Cave and PJ Harvey crooning in front of a wall of distortion and thunderous, pounding rhythms. Her live shows are already a notorious commodity which regularly feature audiences that scream as loud as she does through her instruments and voices.

Shilpa Ray created a huge buzz at SXSW stealing the show at 7 high profile shows including Brooklyn Vegan & Hot Freaks. She then did a tour of the Midwest which included a stop by the Daytrotter Studios and its resulting session.

Her debut album, ‘A Fish Hook An Open Eye’ captures her raw and unique sound in 8 solid tracks, demonstrating depth, ability, and emotional scope, eclipsing anything from Shilpa’s already lauded past. Fish Hook was released September 22 on Kepler Records via Itunes to great acclaim.

Shilpa Ray spent the rest of 2009 rigorously playing shows in NYC with the likes of the Duke Spirit, Efterklang, A Place to Bury Strangers, Drink Up Buttercup, and many more kindred artists. Shilpa was a featured singer in conductor Steve Bernstein’s tribute to Sly Stone which also included Martha Wainright and Bernie Worrell. She also did a brief West Coast Tour with Jeffrey Lewis in October and then opened for Joseph Arthur at City Winery. Nick Cave named Shilpa Ray artist of the day in a recent interview. She has recently entered the studio to begin work on their follow up record which will feature 16 new songs.