“Captain Swing” is the third Polygram release from Michelle Shocked. I suppose the title comes from the heavy use of big-band sound on the album. Unfortunately, the excessive orchestration is what kills the effect of the songs. Her first album, “The Texas Campfire Tapes,” still stands as her best. It was recorded outdoors on a Sony Walkman and consisted entirely of Michelle and her guitar. The sound of the album was simplistic enough to make it interesting. “Short, Sharp, Shocked,” her second album, introduced a few other instruments, but still retained the rustic feel of “Texas Campfire.”

Listening to “Captain Swing,” I picture Michelle in a tuxedo singing in front of a full orchestra. She’s got a horn section, piano, skiffle drums, etc. etc. Isn’t this the same thing that happened to Linda Ronstadt?

“Short, Sharp, Shocked” seemed to be a cause-minded album. Michelle sang about equal rights and gave political lectures. Some of that issue-minded song writing comes through on “Captain Swing” in songs like “Cement Lament,” “God is a Real Estate Developer” and “Street Corner Ambassador,” all of which seem to be about the homeless. However, Michelle seems too busy worrying about orchestration to really make any deep statements about the world situation. This is not necessarily bad, for songs about slum lords and panhandlers are usually overly annoying, but “Captain Swing” seems torn between musical development and social commentary. It falls short on both counts.

Ideally, Michelle should have stuck with her old back-to-basics style. At least that way, she would retain whatever following she garnered from her first two albums. “Silent Ways” is the one song on “Captain Swing” which rings of her earlier stuff, but one out of ten doesn’t cut it. “(Don’t You Mess With) My Little Sister” first appeared on “The Texas Campfire Tapes,” but was re-recorded for “Captain Swing.” This new version has been pumped full of horns and drums, and the original mood of the song has been totally demolished.

I can’t figure out why Michelle chose this new big-band sound. It’s not exactly a current trend in popular music. Michelle’s voice is still impressive, which might be the one thing which saves “Captain Swing” in the eyes of fans, but her earlier musical style suited both her and her message so much better.