Essential Robbie Fulks albums

New to Robbie Fulks and want to check him out? Here are some albums you might want to start with.

“South Mouth” (Bloodshot Records): Pedal steel, scrappy rockabilly guitar and honky-tonk piano sit side by side on Fulks' excellent 1997 release. Fulks' dark sense of humor comes through in tracks like “I Told Her Lies” and the great “(Expletive) This Town,” a hate letter written to the Nashville country-music establishment. But it's the more somber moments that endure, especially “Forgotten But Not Gone” and the heartbreaking “You Wouldn't Do That to Me.”

“Couples in Trouble” (Boondoggle Records): Fulks released this ambitious record through his own label in 2001. It's a collection of songs that document relationships in peril, and it's full of shifting musical styles and unexpected sonic touches, like the electronic accents on “Anything for Love” and the squealing guitar on “Dancing on the Ashes.” One of his most sophisticated records.

“Revenge!” (Yep Roc): I'm generally not a fan of live albums, but this two-disc set from 2007 is both an excellent overview of Fulks' work and an entertaining glimpse at his stage persona, complete with his often hilarious spoken asides. Highlights include a cover of Cher's “Believe” that is both funny and rocking, and a blistering “Let's Kill Saturday Night.”