Prankster rumbles with reggae, D. Hill

I've long contested that one of Baltimore's cult favorites, singer Mary Prankster, has a voice that needs to be put to use outside of punk rock. Well, Prankster has recently done just that, teaming up with former Colouring Lesson frontman Dave Hill to record "Love Has A Rumble," a melodic rock-reggae duet backed by the other members of the now-defunct Colouring Lesson. Prankster convinced the band to reunite for a single afternoon, during which they recorded the song.

Backed by Rennie Grant, Justin "Huggy Bear" Lewis, Trevor Ranking and Cliff Darrow, Prankster and Hill sing about the insecurities of love. Not only is the music different from Prankster's usual three-chord punk rock, but the lyrics are also not Prankster's usual silly/vulgar/introspective offerings. "I'm alive because I love you/ Who you are, what you'll be/ I am the softest part of you/ Please be patient with me," is not typical Prankster fare, and neither is "If I test your endurance/ And go on through the night/ Can I beg reassurance/ You'll still love me when we fight?"

Compare with Prankster's previous takes on relationships - "I said 'How come we only fuck when you want to?'/ And he said, 'Mary, you ask too many questions,' " ("Piss Off," Blue Skies Over Dundalk) and "I fear your disappointment/ When I don't turn out ethereal/ Though either way for me/ I know it means some new material," ("Tempest," Roulette Girl) - and you might wonder if this is the same Prankster who wrote "Love Has A Rumble," a song about learning to trust and compromise.

Just as I suspected, Prankster's voice easily lends itself to the reggae ballad, as it does to gospel when she performs "Roulette Girl" at Mary Prankster shows. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating that Prankster give up her steady gig as Baltimore's punk rock sweetheart, but more ventures into other genres would be rewarding to Prankster fans.

The song is Prankster's production debut and was engineered by Steve Wright, who's worked with SR-71, and mastered by Shelly Yakus (John Lennon, U2 and Tom Petty). It is the second release from Palace Coup Records, the label Prankster founded with bandmates Phil Tang and Jon E. Cakes. "Love Has A Rumble" is available as a free download exclusively through Mary Prankster's website, http://www.maryprankster.com.

Mary Prankster's next Baltimore show is at Fletcher's, in Fells Point, on Oct. 26. For more information, call: 410-558-1889.