Over the course of two nights toward the end of November, during what is cheekily known as “Pranksgiving Weekend” (November 29th-30th), revered local artist Mary Prankster will return to the stage in Baltimore and Alexandria, Virginia to play her first shows in nearly 14 years. Between 1994 and 2005, Prankster became something of a local music hero releasing three full length albums, a live record, and one EP. Her new album, titled Thickly Settled, has just been released and has been referred to as a “genre-hopping joyride”.
The album was recorded in Baltimore at Wright Way Studios and co-produced by Steve Wright, who also co-produced Mary Prankster’s 1998 debut Blue Skies Over Dundalk and the 1999 follow-up Roulette Girl. The albums credits list an impressive roster of musicians including: Bryan Ewald (Guitar/Vocals), Walker Teret (Electric Bass/Upright Bass/Piano/Vocals), Jason Butcher (Drums/Vocals), Bronson Hoover (Organ/Keyboard), Nick Reider (Trumpet), Craig Considine (Trombone), Russ Kirk (Alto and Baritone Saxophone) and Amy Shook (Fiddle). Co-Producer Steve Wright also lends his talents on multiple instruments (Percussion/Rhodes/Vibraphone/Moog) throughout the record.
Thickly Settled opens with the snarling “Rock n Roll Degenerate”, a 3 minute and 50 second fast-paced rocker. In-between bursts of guitar and organ, Prankster sings, “Thirty years of education taught me some shit, but I never did learn baby when to quit.” The song culminates in a searing Joe Satriani-like guitar solo as Prankster admits with no shame that she “sold her soul to the gig economy”. The albums first genre shift comes immediately on the second track and the album’s first single, the bouncy “Local Honey”, which has strong hints of surf rock. Prankster assures listeners that if they’ve “got the fever”, she’s “got the cure”.
“I Got Mine” alternates between country twang verses and a tambourine shaking chorus that would work on a Pippettes record, while Prankster mocks the arrogance of the rich and privileged greedily proclaiming, “You mad? Too bad, I got mine!” Then, almost as if she’s selecting musical genres with the press of a button, “Sweet Beet” has a lazy kind of summer afternoon, ragtime jazz feel, while lyrically conveying the politically timely message that it doesn’t matter what pronouns you choose, she’s an equal opportunity lover. On the funky “The Thing”, the moral is that whatever the “thing” is that you want to do, don’t hesitate, because you have “nothing but time”.
Moving into the second part of the album, the short but sweet “Sugar in the Raw” is stuck comfortably in-between late 70’s and early 80’s femme rock which has been re-popularized by bands like Ex Hex and Bat Fangs. “Feels the Same” borders on new wave and recalls the vocal stylings of Blondie’s Deborah Harry, and the taut “Clownin'” has the feel of a 60’s spy-movie theme-song.
Nearing the end of the album, the piano driven, “Don’t Gotta”, conveys the conflicted sense of simultaneous relief of escape from a just ended relationship, but also a fondness of the good times shared before pulling the plug. Prankster sings, “I would’ve cared for you in sickness and in health,” but adds that, “I’m secretly relieved that I won’t have to.” The final track on the record, “Any Day Now”, features the ten-piece Baltimore Soul/R&B band the Bellevederes. It starts slow and gradually builds before pulling back and building once more into a soul shaking cacophony of horns to end the album.
Thickly Settled may be Prankster’s most diverse record. It’s certainly the most enjoyable. You can buy the record direct from the artist as well as a slew of just released merchandise at her website, here. The Baltimore show is completely sold out, but you may still be able to get tickets for the Alexandria show if you hurry here: Get Tickets
