Aural Fixations

MICHELLE SHOCKED
Threesome (Don't Ask Don't Tell, Got No Strings, Mexican Standoff)
(Mighty Sound)
Michelle Shocked has a reputation for thinking outside the box and being a fountain of creativity. This summer she is exercising both characteristics with the release of a trilogy of albums for her independent Mighty Sound label. Don't Ask Don't Tell, Mexican Standoff and Got No Strings are three very different sounding records, at least when compared to each other. But the trio is a clear expression of Michelle's eclectic taste and adaptive style.

Got No Strings is the most imaginative record, at least from a strictly conceptual point of view. This disc is a collection of tunes from classic Disney movies recorded with western swing attitude. The best of the bunch is "When you Wish Upon a Star," which Shocked records with Bob Wills-type panache. Her casual tone and steel guitars remind me of Roy Rogers and friends gathered around a prairie campfire. "Bare Necessities" is another gem Shocked has mined. Her sultry voice and this playful song are a match made in heaven. Helped along by the songs themselves, the tone of Got No Strings is hopeful. Shocked's very adult voice and these child-like songs is a great concept with pretty spot-on execution by producer Nick Forster.

The second album in the set is Don't Ask Don't Tell, a rock & roll record with Bob Dylan influences apparent from the start, particularly on "How You Play the Game." Don't Ask Don't Tell is musically the most robust, with Shocked and her band using the instruments as much as the emotionally charged lyrics to tell their tales. The songs on this record speak of heartache and loss, but without being complete downers. "How You Play the Game" toes the line between Shocked's playfulness and genuine heartbreak. This album boasts the best musicianship of the trilogy, thanks to guitarist Doug Pettibone and drummer Dave Raven. This record is also peppered with blues influences, particularly the smoky "Don't Ask" and "Used Car." The record lightens up a bit with "Fools Like Us," musings on the softer side of breaking up. Shocked's voice is smoky and worn, but she shows more range than expected. This record, of the three, is likely the best representation of her talents.

Mexican Standoff rounds out the trilogy, cramming blues, country and folk numbers into a sharp, witty Spanglish script. Most of the time we are left wondering if Shocked actually speaks Spanish, or if she's just imitating the language. I really liked "Picoesque," a southern blues explosion with a rousing gospel chorus. Despite the Spanish influence, this record sounds darker and moodier than the other two.

I have to join the chorus of fans wondering about the decision to release these records simultaneously. As a unit, these three discs represent an interesting concept and the continuity among the disparate sounds is effective. But each one could stand on its own, so why risk having the trilogy dilute one another? Lance Looper [buy it]