Rebby Sharp -- In One Mouth and Out the Other

(Shimmy Disc 032)

If Catharsis offered up a yearly "artist of the year," I’d nominate Richmond’s Rebby Sharp. Her unique vision is all-encompassing.

Every song on this always-daring and often-brilliant record stakes out new ground, either as poetry with seemingly unrelated sound effects or as updated bits of American folk songs that inexplicably gain from the wall of Shimmy Disc sound. Rebby recasts the Mississippi Sheiks’ country-blues classic "Sitting on Top of the World" as "Sittin’ On Top of the John," carrying over a bit of toilet humor from her decade-long stint with Richmond’s Orthotonics. Much better is her headrushy interpretation of "Hesitation Blues," the board-pounding "Gimme Back my 15 Cents," and her simpler, Vince Guardaldi-ish "He Leadeth Me." The evocative anthem against selfishness, "Some Men," is a stunner.

Sharp’s poetry is flawless, and the musical accompaniment in the spoken-word cuts is postmodern and post-fabulous, but she lacks the dramatic voice to bring some of the words to life as melody: perhaps if she could farm a few of her vocal jobs out to some Shimmy Disc label-mates (love to hear Bongwater or Jellyfish Kiss tackle "Tar Baskets") her next album will be as exceptional as this one is inspired.

As is, In One Mouth and Out the Other stands as one of the most successful blendings of old and new music in years, its violins and homemade indignitis a reminder that the biggest ideas are still coming out of America’s smallest labels... and she had the guts to give up cigarettes. ‘

--- David Harrison / Catharsis #17 - Jan. 1991