By the time her self-titled debut EP was released in 1995,
Mary Lou Lord was rather famous for someone whose only officially released recording had been a 7" indie single; in addition to having been the subject of a major-label bidding war,
Lord incurred
Courtney Love's jealous wrath over a rumored pre-
Courtney fling with
Kurt Cobain. It's tempting to examine Mary Lou Lord for veiled references to that incident, and it's not exactly a fruitless search. There's the vicious
Matt Keating-written "That Kind of Girl," which contains several possible digs at
Courtney, and
Lord's own "The Bridge," a lament for a lover who has moved on to bigger and better things (rock superstardom?). But in the end, looking for clues about
Lord's private life merely obscures the virtues of her music.
Lord has a charmingly sweet, almost waifish voice, but thanks to her interpretive skill, it never becomes cloying or overbearingly naive. There is an air of wistfulness about some of the more upbeat songs -- even on the only non-solo performance, an electric rock arrangement of
Nick Saloman's "Lights Are Changing" -- while the introspective songs are poignant and thoughtful, their intimacy comfortable and genuine. Yet there's more to
Lord than just melancholy. The deadpan barbs of "That Kind of Girl" are actually more effective delivered in
Lord's sweet voice, and the extensive
indie rock catalog of "His Indie World" has a playful sense of humor. A charming debut on the surface, Mary Lou Lord only reveals more emotional depth with additional listening, and with covers outweighing originals, it's remarkable how well
Lord ties it all together. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
