Trish Murphy

Trish Murphy

Girls Get in Free (Raven) Something's happened to Trish Murphy. Girls Get in Free, her fourth CD, is her most assertive work yet. Now, Murphy's never been the quiet, shy type, but the 11 songs here find the Houston native in full-on rock mode, and it's a perfect fit. Reunited with Jim Ebert, who helmed 1999's spirited Rubies on the Lawn, Murphy breathes just the right amount of fire into her hooky melodies. Guitarist Mac McNabb, drummer Rafael Gayol, and bassist Mike Moyer bring a solid foundation to the songs, allowing Murphy to vocalize with a passion she's hinted at before, but never consistently achieved. The first five songs on Girls Get in Free alone -- the jangly "All I Want," defiant "The Trouble With Trouble," fiery "Thelma and Louise," aching country rocker "Crying as Fast as I Can," and sweet melancholy "One for the Boys" -- are easily her best songwriting on disc. Add in a rollicking, twisted duet with Bob Schneider on Lyle Lovett's "Cowboy Man," one that puts the girl in charge, and you hear that Murphy's changed, but only for the better. In a world where a few too many female acts are merely eye candy on the cover of glossy magazines, Trish Murphy is standing toe to toe with the boys and rocking just as hard as they do.