Shirley Gnome Reviews (newest to oldest)

"Her songs tackle sexual foibles, existential crises and more with a giddy levity that catapults us into an absurd (yet very familiar) world of her own creation. Her latest album, Taking It Up The Notch, is a joyful rebellion against rigid femininity, constrictive sexuality and what it means to be a “lady.” - She Does The City

“hilarious… Gnome is a disarmingly likeable performer” -Chortle (UK)

“The jokes are spot on, and delivered with as much subtlety as a slow-pitch deliveryman, the chords are catchy and toe-tappy as hell, and the experience is one that will surely not disappoint.” - Vue Weekly, Edmonton

“Subversively positive... singing her way with her gorgeous voice and big blue eyes into everyone’s hearts.” - Montreal Rampage

"Gnome had the audience rolling with smart, well-crafted and outrageously bawdy songs about everything from sex and romance to yappy dogs and crying babies, each with her own frank and unapologetic spin." -Star News Online

★★★★ 
"Frank, raunchy, sweet-voiced and funny as hell... See her now before she gets bigger." -Glenn Sumi, NOW Toronto Magazine

"Boorish, bold… and bushy... not to be missed" -Mooney on Theatre (Toronto)

"Gnome breaks out into stories and original songs that press the limits of what’s taboo with her inventive blend of comedy and biting social commentary." -Watermark (Orlando)

"Shirley Gnome is a cunt."-Orlando Weekly

"...positions herself as the butt..." -The Orlando Sentinel

"Hilarious... Gnome is a disarmingly likeable performer"-Chortle (UK)

"Gnome is a gifted pop songwriter and with her witty, refreshingly honest lyrics perfectly juxtaposed against her sugary sweet vocal, it’s easy to see why she boasts sell-out shows across three continents." -The Plus Ones, Melbourne

★★★★
"A consummate performer, Ms Gnome left her audience in stitches, and definitely wanting more."-Stage Whispers, Melbourne

"With her incredible oratory performance Shirley effortlessly marries comedy and music"-Weekend Notes, Melbourne

★★★★
"this Canadian gives voice to people’s often unspoken concerns and motivations"-ArtsHub Australia

"ruminations on the current state of the world, sex, and death, coalesce flawlessly" -Perth Arts Live

★★★★
"If the majority of human life emerges from the vagina then the majority of human existence can be related back to the vagina. This is Canadian smut songstress Shirley Gnome’s philosophy, and she spends a riotous hour proving its validity." -Scenstr (Adelaide)

★★★★½
"witty, well-crafted and honed to a comedic point."-GlamAdelaide

"With her dark comedy and satirical tone, she is eccentric, charismatic, and I want to be her friend." -Art Murmers (Wellington, NZ)

"Shirley Gnome normalises sex. Most importantly, she normalises women talking about sex. It’s a candidness that we could all afford to adopt." -Regional News (Wellington, NZ)

"... her songs, all original and very clever, are raw and explicit, which she makes no apology for... yet they are anything but offensive" -Dominion Post (Wellington, NZ)

"Gutsy, Sexy, Confident, Self-Aware" -Theatre Review (Wellington, NZ)

★★★★★
"Very clever, very silly and very honest, both men and women will relate to Shirley’s stories and you will probably leave thinking ‘she read my mind'" - The Australia Times (Melbourne)

"rich, raunchy and riotous" - Weekend Notes (Melbourne)

"Beneath the bedsheets her clever songs stroke themes of empowerment, political satire, and pop parody." -Theatre Press (Melbourne)

★★★★½
"HOW can a woman with such a beautiful, pure voice have such a dirty, dirty mind? The answer remains a mystery, but the combination is side-splittingly hilarious and a late-night slice of fun... delights the dirty minded with a setlist of cleverly constructed songs..." - The Advertiser (Adelaide)

★★★★½
"The lyrics were clever and funny, and everyone in the audience – whether man or woman – will relate to them.
Even if you are not a fan of country music, Shirley and her songs will charm you and have you singing along by the end of the show... In fact, she treats you as a friend, and by the end of the show you felt like you had known Shirley for years. Clever, honest and downright mischievous at times, Shirley Gnome: C*untry Music sings it like it is – and we enjoyed every minute of it." - The Clothesline (Adelaide)

“magnificent” -Dan Savage (US)

★★★★
"While the lyrics are over the top and intentionally graphic — she often uses a word for the female reproductive organ that rhymes with shunt — the stories hit home because they are situations we have are all familiar with in one way or another... That commonality allows us to laugh along with her, whether we want to admit it or not. But, you might ask, can she sing? Of course she can sing. Gnome is likely one of of the best singers on the Fringe circuit this year." - Edmonton Sun

★★★★
"Start with the saucy imagery in her lyrics, the gleeful rebellion and faux naivete she brings to belting them out, and her genuine insights into human (sexual) behaviour. She has a terrific voice, good guitar craft, an amazing talent for rhyme schemes and most significantly, a crazy sense of humour... Beyond mere titillation, Gnome has something to say even if it’s often so profane I couldn’t repeat it in a family newspaper... Gnome makes it impossible not to laugh and think." - Edmonton Journal

★★★★
"Gnome is gifted with a gorgeous voice, as well as serious performing and songwriting chops. You’ll laugh at things you never thought could be funny." - VUE Weekly/EdmontonFringe.ca

★★★★★
"One of the hardest things a comic, musical or stand-up, can do is take a simple sex joke and make it clever and relevant. Sometimes it’s easy to write dirty for a cheap laugh. Despite the level of dirtiness that Shirley sings about she is extremely smart and clever, providing the audience with amazing twists and turns that carry a profound sense of hilarity… Everyone in the audience was having a riot and a standing ovation was just not enough.  -Onstage Ottawa

★★★★
"There's scarcely a facet of human sexual relations Gnome doesn't seem able to turn into a hilarious song. And yes, provided you're not terribly modest, you will laugh. A lot. Gnome is frank, completely uninhibited, and a smart comedian." - CBC.ca

★★★★
"There's scarcely a facet of human sexual relations Gnome doesn't seem able to turn into a hilarious song. And yes, provided you're not terribly modest, you will laugh. A lot. Gnome is frank, completely uninhibited, and a smart comedian." - CBC.ca

"Shirley litters the stage with vagina talk so honest and true that you will recognize the ever living heck out of it, and cry laughing in recognition." -Montreal Rampage

"Her impressive singing chops are easily worth the price of admission alone… As the show progresses you start to realize that in between the ridiculousness are serious issues like the pain of denial, a broken heart, and gender equality. It’s then you realize realize writing Gnome off as a frivolous Fringe act would be a mistake."-Forget The Box

"...an arsenal of dirty songs that make you feel better about life... There are songs about feelings and thoughts a lot of us may have been afraid to explore outside of song form. " -New York Theatre Review

"In her pink cowboy hat, polka dot dress, and bleach blonde hair, she’s part country, part unapologetically dirty standup comic, and let it not go forgotten, part kickass musician... Where she really shined was when she managed to sneak a bit of serious into her jokes- just enough to make the song sting a little." -Bloody Underrated

"Shirley’s a clever and prolific songwriter and has an amazing voice that makes even the filthiest lyric go down like a nice cold beer. Her mid-song repartee is top-notch too, and WILL make you want to have a drink or ten with her, and soon." -Visitorium

★★★★★
"This is everything you want from a late night comedy show; frivolous, embarrassing and simply brilliant. Hailing from Vancouver and equipped with the voice of a goddess, the burlesque comedy singer-songwriter takes the audience on a musical journey..." -Three Weeks

★★★★
"With a warm, chatty manner and razor-sharp wit (shutting a heckler up with lightning speed), Shirley has the audience on her side immediately.... Shirley's hilarious anecdotes and amazing voice ensure that the audience are in hysterics until the last gasp. The genius of her act is that she is bold enough to make mention of problems and insecurities that everyone has but that your average Brit would be too scared to even think about, let alone sing about." -Broadway Baby

"I can’t speak highly enough of Gnome’s voice; she was so versatile, able to sing anything from songs with a country spin to soft rock and pop... She skillfully gleans social norms, cues, and mannerisms from conversations with friends, and from random observations of the most normal, everyday situations, giving birth to her brilliant, subversive, and ironic lyrics. The show was pure gold, flowing through the audience and making us all feel rich." -The Peak

""Beautifully written... Shirley's banter [made] the audience warm to her infectiously.... If you fancy a wild evening of sexually fuelled country rock then get yourself along to see Shirley Gnome!" -Fringe Review

★★
"Artless" - The List

"In addition to having great, soulful pipes, she knows what she’s doing as a songwriter. The tunes on C*untry Music are professionally recorded and smartly arranged by crack musicians. That Gnome was determined to get things right says something about her musical diet during her younger years: she’s studied the pros." - The Georgia Straight

"Gnome’s bold take on songwriting is fundamental to her work." - Ottawa Metro

"Part of Gnome’s appeal is the juxtaposition of her material, her wholesome appearance and the sweetness of her voice." - Times-Colonist

"Gnome wowed the audience playing guitar as she sang a series of upbeat tunes about sexual acts so graphic there aren’t even euphemisms that are permissible to print in a family paper." - Vancouver Sun

"This is not your grandpa’s country music. Hank Williams would not be proud. It’s C’untry Music, and damn is it funny... You might expect material like this to be pretty one-note, but Gnome manages to make it resonate emotionally. I mean, what girl hasn’t been too tired to put out (“Go Fuck Yourself”)? Or resolved to have that last first time (“Assflower”)? Or had a lover propose a threesome (“Menage a Twat”)? - The Comedy Killers

"Between sets we were treated (and rendered speechless) to the dirty country sounds of Shirley Gnome. We hung on to each word of her steamy lyrics, not wanting to miss one raunchy line, such as “We were meant to be together unlike my thighs.” She may look sweet on the outside, but she most certainly has a perverted imp living inside her." - Burlesque Beat

"An amazingly sensitive, tear-jerkin' track just released by the inimitable Shirley Gnome, the reigning queen of Trailer Park culture and many other things I won't be mentioning here! There are so many gems of wisdom within this one song..." - Vile-Views.com

"I like it when women are women but not too much like women because too much like women women makes me feel uncomfortable. Can you be more sutble about being a woman please because I am very scared."-Many Straight White Middle-Aged Reviewers