Michelle Shocked Launches Brassy Mardi Gras Single on February 13

Press release
Source: conqueroo / Cary Baker

Michelle Shocked's longstanding ties with the Crescent City vibrantly unfold in time for Mardi Gras with an internet-only single. Entitled "Hardcore Hornography," the song is as bawdy and bold as its title and will hopefully remind everyone that New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast are still recovering from a blowjob they will never forget. "Hardcore Hornography" features New Orleans brass denizens Troy Andrews on trumpet and Trombone Shorty on (what else?) trombone as well as the NewBirth Brass Band (Tanio Hingle, bass drum; Kerry Hunter, snare; Jeffrey Hills, sousaphone) "Virtual" street date for the song is Tuesday, February 13.

Keeping with the festival spirit, however – and as a reminder to fans that there’s still much rebuilding to be done – the song is available free at www.michelleshocked.com and at other sites that want to help spread it. A stream is also available at www.myspace.com/mshocked, and visitors can also hear demos from the forthcoming album (ETA: August 2007.)

According to Shocked, "Everyone thinks Mardi Gras is a New Orleans bacchanalia but this song is a not-so-gentle reminder that the season we celebrate is a sobering Lent, which just happens to rhyme with 'government.'"

"Hardcore Hornography" may be purchased for download at iTunes where the rest of Michelle Shocked’s album catalog has just been made available exclusively in the digital format for the first time. Her catalog now includes: The Texas Campfire Tapes, Short Sharp Shocked, Captain Swing, Arkansas Traveler, Deep Natural, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Got No Strings, Mexican Standoff, plus two iTunes-only titles: Kind Hearted Woman and a Live EP. An iTunes Essentials package will shortly compliment this digital launch.

The albums are available with value-added bonus packaging only through traditional retailers.

Shocked will perform solo acoustic in late February at the Folk Alliance in Memphis, and will debut new material with her band at SXSW, held March 15-18 in Austin. An extensive national tour will follow the release of the new album.

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