An offhanded, unassuming moment would be a lovely thing on a Michelle Shocked album. From the whole package down to the songwriting and the performances, everything is purpose-driven. If Shocked opens her mouth, she’s going to say something and she wants to make it count. Considering how many artists are happy to say little or nothing for an hour, I appreciate that she values my time and hers. Still, that strong sense of purpose means her music can be controlled and controlling, fueling an awkward resistance at times.
In the case of Soul of My Soul, that means strong songcraft takes a backseat to vocals that make every sentiment explicitly, underlined, surrounded-by-asterisks clear. She’s a giant killer on “Giant Killer,” and she’s hot for her “Paperboy.” She’s celebrating making her peace with love on “Love’s Song,” and she’s buying the bar a round to commemorate the moment. In each case, the voice works—”Love’s Song” is rousing and “Giant Killer” rocks—but eventually I get tired for her as she works this hard.
The album’s finest, slyest moment really needed to come out a year or so ago. She makes her tendency toward first-person, confessional writing work brilliantly in “Other People” (as in, “We should see …”). The phrase typically marks the sad end of a romance, and it’s tempting to hear it that way until she sings it “citizen to country, not woman to man.” She uses an abusive, toxic relationship as a metaphor for America under the Bush Administration—smart in itself—and she sings with a level of tenderness that suggests concern for the other party’s feelings. Her sadness is counterintuitive and adds a human layer of complexity to a very smart song. Unfortunately, in September 2009, it’s a protest song a little late to the party.
That strong sense of concept and purpose is clearly part of who Shocked is as a musician, and it’s a double-edged sword. It means songs never go out half-baked; they’re reliably entertaining and well-executed. But it also means that sometimes you’ve got to eat a good breakfast to ready for one of her albums.
