Jill Sobule Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
Singer/songwriter Jill Sobule's quirky tales of love, loss, and human frivolity would seem precious and cloying in the hands of a lesser interpreter. Underdog Victorious, her first release of all-new material since 2000's Pink Pearl -- she put out a retrospective the following year -- features all of the sarcasm, wit, keen observation, and big-sister charm that fans have come to expect from the tenacious New Yorker. Sobule inhabits each of her characters with an equal amount of empathy and motherly whimsy, whether it be Third World prostitutes ("Tel Aviv"), "Strawberry Gloss"-wearing teen princesses, or closeted boys wilting beneath the Bible-clenched fists of intolerant fathers ("Under the Disco Ball") -- the latter, with its refrain of "they have a scheme/they have a plan/to take the children of our land/turn them into stylists and women who play golf," is like 1995's "I Kissed a Girl"'s younger sibling. Sobule is a true pop aficionado, and her melodies have never suffered from the run-of-the-mill, singer/songwriter trappings of the genre, so when she builds an entire song off of the piano riff from Chicago's "Saturday in the Park" -- the ludicrously catchy first single, "Cinnamon Park" -- it never feels calculated. The title track is the real gem here; with its Mott the Hoople-like chorus and Mick Ronson-era Bowie guitar lick, it captures all of the sunshine, self-deprecation, and joy of simply being allowed to be a musician with a big burning heart. Sobule's voice lacks the sometimes icy pretension of oft-compared, hip contemporaries like Aimee Mann. In fact, a better comparison would be the perpetually underrated Cyndi Lauper, another mischievous pixie whose "New Yahk" accent and spirited irreverence often overshadowed her more somber and challenging offerings. It's this homegrown accessibility that provides much of the aptly titled Underdog Victorious' engaging warmth, and besides, it's hard not to root for an artist who closes her record with a surprisingly heartfelt and genuine ode to misery without sounding the least bit whiny. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Folk-pop singer Sobule's fourth album, and first for the indie Beyond label, isn't a radical change in direction; her airy, hypnotically intriguing little girl voice, floating melodies, and incisive, often droll lyrics are all similar to previous work. But there's subtlety and craftsmanship at work here, especially in the album's inspired production, which kicks these 12 songs up a notch, framing each of them in sympathetic, dazzling, often elaborate arrangements, which smartly underscore the artist's melodies. Inspired by songsmith craftsmen like Ray Davies and Elvis Costello, Sobule's perceptive lyrics tell vivid mini-dramas of everyday folks. "Rock Me to Sleep," the album's only unaccompanied song, perfectly portrays the protagonist's lonely life by describing her bedroom as "the book on the bedstand, the little TV, the drink and the ashtray." Other tracks explore details of the "Loveless Motel" with pictures of Billie Ray Cyrus and Ernest Borgnine on the wall and "Mary Kay," a teacher who becomes pregnant and runs away with one of her students. But even if you don't bother with the eloquent yet understated lyrics, Sobule's melodies and savvy knack for incorporating everything from sunny-style '60s Brit-pop complete with Mellotron, tympani, and tubular bells on "Rainy Day Parade" to Beatles-style instrumentation (check out the "Fool on the Hill" recorder, "Eleanor Rigby" string quartet, and even Byrds-ish guitar break on "Lucy at the Gym") will impress. Vocally her soft, plaintive yet bold voice falls between Suzanne Vega and Rickie Lee Jones, but it is less affected and more natural. With Pink Pearl (named after the common pencil eraser), Jill Sobule has proven that she's no one-hit novelty fluke. This album brims with imagination and talent and proves there's more to her than just another pretty voice. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Jill Sobule's summer-vacation success with "I Kissed a Girl" almost sank her in cement as a one-hit wonder, even though that fun tune surely got her all the dates she could endure for a while. Sporting a potentially dismissable, fresh-out-of-fourth-grade, alt-cute girl voice, she could easily fall into the princess-sized crack somewhere between the careers of Suzanne Vega and Liz Phair, and it's just too soon for that. But our girl has grown up, it seems, for on Happy Town, Sobule's third and clearly most serious album, she proves to be not only a contemplative lyricist with a sense of humor but a competent arranger as well, adding wisps of well-placed clarinets, smoldering guitar work and Latin grooves to her busy tracks. With its itchy, poppy, hip-hoppy motions, "Bitter" makes for a compelling and innovative single, something to be proud about in this business. But the most unusual and memorable single may be "Underachiever," the poignant tale of an oversensitive high school history student who loves to gaze the hour away at her teacher without thought to her declining grades. It's great to confess a love for this stuff, from the indulgent adolescent subject matter to grown-up musical moments. Glad the girl stuck it out. ~ Becky Byrkit, All Music Guide
'Things Here Are Different'
Release Date 4/17/1990
Tracks 11
Label MCA
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Waifish and thin, Jill Sobule's voice isn't the kind that jumps right out at you. This isn't a singer who goes for immediacy. On the introspective pop/rock effort Things Here Are Different, Sobule's approach is so subtle that it may take one a while to realize just how good she is. But the more one listens, the more one sees that her songs are as thoughtful as they are meaty. After several listenings, it becomes clear that for all their subtlety, songs like "Evian," "The Gifted Child" and "Sad Beauty" get their points across quite well. One offering that really shows how disarming Sobule can be is "So Kind" -- this poignant commentary on wife abuse doesn't preach or shout, but it's definitely disturbing. Though not a huge seller, this promising, Todd Rundgren-produced date indicated that Sobule was someone to pay attention to. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
