Marilyn Rucker Tea Pot Lady (Furry Gecko)

Marilyn Rucker

Tea Pot Lady (Furry Gecko)

While longtime Austinites may know Marilyn Rucker from the Therapy Sisters, this is her first solo album, just released after much previewing locally on KUT and nationally on Dr. Demento's syndicated radio show. Backed by her own keyboards and full band, Rucker bounces through a clever set of tunes in the novelty vein, with subjects ranging from old Southern ladies packing heat ("Pretty Little Gun") to overzealous religious types ("Twenty Naked Pentecostals"), with a special emphasis on obsession ("Constantly Studying You," "I Love Your Smell"). As the title implies, Tea Pot Lady is a cozy (pun intended, for anyone who gets it) little effort, perhaps too much so. The energy level of the album stays above "lazy lounge singer" level, but never varies enough to give the witty lyrics the full-on joie de vivre they deserve, resulting in a sound not unlike Lambert, Hendricks & Ross' "Twisted" without the oomph. Rucker tries to display a wicked wink in her music, but it's seldom believable; her directionless cover of Cole Porter's dark "Miss Otis Regrets" is the disc's one true misstep. (Then again, this reviewer has long been spoiled by Kirsty MacColl's hair-raising version.) There's plenty more to enjoy here, though; make no mistake, Rucker is a pro at the business of writing clever songs. Best of the bunch is perhaps the closer "Email Legends," a run through all the amazing, unsolicited "true" facts one gets through their electronic mail. It's a charming pop classic-in-the-works, not unlike Sparks' "I Predict" updated for the 21st century.