Great Album!
John K | Houston, TX United States | 04/01/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of Trish's since I heard the early version of Trouble with Trouble from Captured on the radio. Since then I've seen her in concert at least half a dozen times, and I have to say that this latest album of hers is probably my favorite.
We finally get some full band versions of songs from Captured, and she's recorded some of my favorite staples from her live shows, such as All I Want, Love Never Dies, and The Eternal Dream.
There are also some great new songs like Thelma and Louise.
Trish has recently rereleased with the album with a larger record label. Hopefully this will get her the exposure she deserves.
The album is a perfect blend of rock and country music, and also manages to retain some of the energy from her live performances."
One Of Texas' Best Kept Secrets!!
Jef Fazekas | Newport Beach, California United States | 07/07/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"When Trish Murphy's major label debut, 1999's RUBIES ON THE LAWN, faded from view with only minimal fanfare, I was really bummed...here was a new artist - sort of a more fun, kid-sister version of Sheryl Crow - that I'd really been looking forward to hearing from, album after album. GIRLS GET IN FREE, her 2003 return-to-the-indies release, has now been repackaged (albeit with a new "Sex As A Weapon" cover) and rereleased, a move that (hopefully!) will garner it some richly deserved attention. A little more country-leaning and Texas twangy than the pop/rock elements of RUBIES..., GIRLS GET IN FREE is nevertheless a rootsy work of art from a major, albeit undiscovered, talent. Opening with "All I Want", things get off to an easy-going start. Framed by a steady backbeat and tasteful guitars (both electric and acoustic), Murphy's lead vocal is both breathy and angelic. A very nice start, indeed! Next we have the bouncy, fun-filled "The Trouble With Trouble." You just HAVE to know that any song with a chorus of "....it wasn't my idea/I did it on a double-dog dare/It's a cold hard fact when you're young and dumb/The trouble with trouble is/It starts out as fun" is going to be a kick! With it's sassy lead vocal and buoyant arrangement, this ode to good times that can take a (slightly!) wrong turn, and how those times can be passed on from generation to generation, is clever, cute, fun and fresh. One of GIRLS...'s true gems! "Thelma And Louise" is both reflective and melodic, but there's also a depth to the song that becomes apparent only after a few listens. It's take on domestic violence ("You holy rollers don't know jack/About domestic strife - Until you've seen my daddy lit/And beatin' up his wife"), respect among the sexes ("So if you love her treat her kindly/That's what it's all about/My sweetheart wasn't sweet to me/And look how I turned out/So fellas take your hats off/Say thank you ma'am and please") and surprises ('Cause her name might be Thelma/And mine might be Louise") is made all the more thoughtful - and enjoyable - by spirited instrumentation and a sexy, almost sly, lead vocal. There's a pop urgency to "Crying As Fast As I Can" that is capped off by a melancholic lead vocal and some stinging guitar lines. Up next are two of GGIF's best tracks, the haunting "One For The Boys" and the understated "Love Never Dies (It Just Gives Up)." There's an aching resignation to "One For The Boys" that is just palpable...you feel this woman's pain, sorrow and regret, and you can just picture the course her life has taken, in large part due to Murphy's hushed vocal and the sleepy sway of the arrangement. With it's chilling chorus ("Love never dies/Love just gets tired/Love just decides/When it can tell it's not enough/Love never dies it just gives up"), "Love Never Dies...." is all about that relationship that lingers on long after it's over, refusing to go away quietly. There's a sense of longing and truthfulness to much of Murphy's work, a sort of "Everywoman" quality that supports "Love Never Dies" in a sort of sad, yet ultimately strong, way. Things take a 180 degree turn with "Eternal Dream", a straight-on traditional country/bluegrass number. All strumming guitars and mandolins, sorrowful pedal steel and delicate vocal, Murphy just nails it. Another beauty! "St. Christopher" is a mid-tempo rocker about the difficulties of letting go ("I paid the payphone bandit/I took the call and slammed it/'Cause now that number's old and you're not there"), while "Paralyzed" is a soaring stomper with a touch of whimsy and a bit of punky edginess. Both tracks hark back to more of the pop grooves of RUBIES...., with a sorrowful cello anchoring "St. Christopher" and some snappy percussion providing a nice rhythmic core for everything else to grow out of on "Paralyzed." GIRLS GET IN FREE ends brilliantly, and on opposite ends of the musical spectrum! First you have "Cowboy Man", a rowdy honky-tonk duet with fellow Austin wonderkid Bob Schneider (if you love quirky, fun, thoughtful music, check out Schneider's wonderful 2001 release LONELYLAND, as well as last year's I'M GOOD NOW). In the tradition of Porter and Dolly, George and Tammy, Gram and Emmylou or Rodney and Rosanne, these two match up like they were meant to be duet partners. Add a rollicking arrangement and you have a slice of good-time, pure and simple! Things slow down and mellow out for the ethereal "I Don't Want To Believe." There's almost a 60's girl group vibe going on throughout the track, whatwith it's airy vocal, muted instrumentation and "last-to-know" lyrics ("There's a rumor going round/By some people downtown/You've been hanging on/To someone else's arm"). By the time Murphy gets to the stinging lines of "If you told me it's a lie/Then I wouldn't have to die/It's a stupid mess/You could put to rest/And stop me wondering why", well, it's heartbreak time! A real beauty! So....you've been given a second chance to discover this album....do yourself a favor and do just that! (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics)."
