Jill Sobule — Jill Sobule (Review)
Long before the scandalous release of “I Kissed a Girl” by ex-Christian singer turned pop star Katy Perry, Jill Sobule had penned a song with the same meaning, albeit much more innocent, 13 years prior in 1995. Jill Sobule had been on the scene since the early 1990s. Her first release would be Things Here Are Different in April of 1990. Produced by Todd Rundgren, the album would see a minor hit on the adult contemporary charts with “Too Cool to Fall in Love”. It would be five years before Souble would release her breakthrough record, the self titled Jill Sobule, in the spring of 1995. The album contained the two big singles “Supermodel” and “I Kiss a Girl”, the former would be used on the Clueless soundtrack. The latter would be song that would go on to be her tagline. “I Kissed a Girl” would come to be a focal point in her career. I wanted to put a spotlight on an album that both spawned a track that would be pivotal for the LGBTQ+ community during a time period when such a voice was rarely heard from and an album that deserves a full listen to hear the breadth of Sobule’s songwriting skills. Let’s jump into this gem of 90s alternative rock.
“Good Person Inside” is the first track off the record. Jill’s electric guitar gives us full 90s alternative. Sobule’s lyrics bounce off the trying to find only good in this person that she has disdain for. Jill’s mind playfully goes about anything she can find to think of the good in this person. From their nice smile and blue eyes (which she notes isn’t an interior trait) to her bare minimum takes on this person’s morals, “… you haven’t killed anyone as far as we know/And you seem very nice to your sister/ You have very good taste in clothes and guitars/ And very young girls…”. The song definitely captures that Gen X apathy and angst in a clever and goofy way. It’s no wonder why this was chosen to a the third single off the record. It fit perfectly on alternative radio.
“Margaret” sees Sobule looking back on the popular girl from junior high. The one who everyone likes, who’s the prettiest, and who is the most popular. Sobule, being low on the rung, just idolizes her from a distance and wonders what glory her future has in store. Her reality? Margaret didn’t become a Hollywood starlet, but the girl on the cover X-rated movies. Souble’s cunning sense of humor throughout all is this makes for a fun story to follow. I song is a summery track sonically. Jill’s guitar and the occasional woodwind gives the song a youthful innocence.
“(Theme From) The Girl in the Affair” sees Sobule taking the point of view of girl whose fallen for a married man. There’s a youth innocence to the character that Sobule takes on. “Our love is secret, but it’s so grown up/
No one has to suspect anything at all/ But when you come visit me, you give your love so openly/ If only for just one week with…” she sings, showing that she knows she shouldn’t get attached, but can’t help to fall in love with him. Sobule’s storytelling is solid here. The song has a jazzy, lounge-like air to it. The addition of the accordion adds the slightly warped romantic feel to the song.
“Karen by Night” is a highlight on the album. The song is full fun alternative rock song with a tongue and cheek nature. Sobule tells the story of her boss at the shoe store, Karen. She’s a modest, conservative woman, whom they all assume lives a very dull life after work. Sobule has other ideas. We follow her as she sees her boss’s mysterious night life. Karen turns out to quiet spicy on her evenings, in leather and ready to kiss ass and take names, “Saw her leaning on the bar with a drink in hand/ And a cigarette dangling from her bright red lips/ She looked like she was looking for someone/ Like she was looking for a fight…”. I really enjoy the story this song tells. It’s most definitely one of my favorites off the album.
“Houdini’s Box” is one of Sobule’s clever metaphor’s on wanting to stay with a one night stand. Much like one of Houdini’s tricks, Sobule’s been in this scenario before and knows all the ways disappear without a trace. Unlike a magician, poised to make their grand exit, Sobule wants to stay in this moment, “In Houdini’s box/ We’ll close the lid/ And tie the knot/In Houdini’s box…”. Jill’s voice and acoustic guitar are absolutely beautiful on this track. The song is solemn and pure.
“Trains” is Sobule’s imagined lives of her and her love interest. She sees their relationship in these fantastical moments: a damsel and the thief, the outlaw and the heiress, the war hero and his lover. Those just name a few. All these have train based storylines, which make Sobule think of her crush in a fond way. This song has a country tone, very fitting of its western like landscape. Behind Jill’s emotive vocals and acoustic guitar is a sea of harmonica, strings, peddle steel, and atmospheric percussion. It’s composition really lifts the song to a whole other level.
“I Kiss A Girl” is the big break out track off of the record. Sobule has said in interviews that she wrote the song in Nashville. She had said the exec’s said “that lesbian thing is really in right now…”, so they more than obliged to make this the lead single off of the record. The song is an innocent take someone’s first feelings of affection toward someone of the same sex. You can imagine these two 1950s housewives finally discovering their sexuality through this moment in the song. It’s not overtly over the top or explicit. It’s earnest and sweet in its tone. It’s also fairly groundbreaking as mainstream track. Artist’s like Ani DiFranco, on “In and Out”, or Sophie B. Hawkins, on “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover”, have discussed same sex attraction. The latter being but a quick moment in the last verse that made many speculate its meaning. This, however, was fairly straightforward, and was great representation for the LGBTQ+ community during the 90s. Souble has stated that the song was refused airplay in many souther states. In Nashville, where she recorded the song, the radios ran a disclaimer about its “explicit” nature before playing the song. A music video was released for the track, seeing 90s romance cover boy Fabio has Souble’s love interest. Souble said she wanted the girls to end up together, but they went with her ending up with Fabio instead.
“The Jig is Up” is Sobule’s dreams and realities around life. Her irreverent takes on what she’d do if she won the lottery, how she’ll deal with her crises, and how she’ll whip her mind around her negative point of view is both humorous and witty. Each chorus reflects back on the prior verse’s main issue. I really enjoy Sobule’s delivery of these points. The song has a cheery singer/songwriter feel. It’s a lovely alternative pop song.
“Resistance Song” is a fun play on a love story Sobule has with the man she’s in a relationship with. Sobule’s colorful storytelling dreams up their past lives as resistance fighters locked in passionate love for one another. She then juxtaposes this with her real life where she is a cocktail waitress and he’s a bass player in an up and coming band. As someone who really enjoys thinking up stories to people, even their fictional past lives, I really enjoy her playful lyricism. Jill marries her lyrical tale with a classic protest sound and an almost French feel with the addition for the accordion on the song. It fits the entire mood wonderfully.
“Supermodel” is yet another big single off the record. The song is all wiry alternative rock that is just picture perfect for the time period. The song would be included on the Clueless soundtrack. The song fits beautiful with the movie. It’s sarcastic look at culture’s obsession with celebrity, fame, and the perfect look and body are spot on for the time. Sobule’s lyrics, “And I write my school report,/ Why I love my jeans, why I love my jeans./And oh, on my locker door it is the coolest thing/ That you have ever seen…”, also play off that “As if!” ditsy stereotype that’s self-obsessed and only worried about the fashion mags. The song was co-written by Brian MacLeod and David Baerwald, who had been part of the writing collective around Sheryl Crow’s 1993 debut Tuesday Night Music Club (among writing for numerous others).There was a music video shot for the song.
“Couple on the Street” is Sobule’s ode to never ending up that couple everyone knows on the block. They’re not just gonna burn out, their gonna be more. “ I love you so much/ Won’t you tell me please/ We’ll never be/ The couple on the street…”, Sobule sings with conviction that this youthful love with last. Ironically, or maybe not so, the song end’s with Sobule with saying she lost inspiration on the song (and from what it seems the relationship as well). The song atmospheric jazz lounge sound with its blend of flutes, organ, keys, and bass. It’s a lovely sound overall, but probably my least favorite on the record.
“Vbrana Bridge” is Sobule’s take on the real life tale of Admira Ismić and Boško Brkić. Their story takes place during the Bosnian War during the early 90s. Admira was a Bosniak and he a Bosnian Serb. The both were killed by a sniper in 1993 trying to cross the Vrbana Bridge to get to Serb-occupied territory of Grbavica. A documentary was created, Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo, around their lives. Sobule’s song tells of their journey, their love, and ultimately their death. Sobule does a beautiful job painting their story. She incorporates the imagery of their death, which was used heavily in the media at the time, in the song to paint the tragedy. It’s a touching story that is gorgeously told. The song has a calm warmth to it has Jill’s acoustic guitar marries with a mix of strings.
“Now That I Don’t Have You” is the final track on the album. Sobule’s happy to be rid of the prior toxic relationship she was in. She maybe alone, but she’s mentally and emotionally free. Sobule sings, “Now that I don’t have you/
Maybe someday I’ll love as others do/ And wake up one morning to skies of blue/ But I won’t be with you/ Now that I don’t have you…”, which is both optimistic and melancholy. After all the toxic behavior she’s endured, she’s happy to be on her own, but still mourning this loss. I love the soft mix of acoustic guitar and peddle steel that gives this song the feeling of sun peaking over the horizon at dawn. The tone along with Jill’s words paint this dawning of new life as she ends this tumultuous relationship to start a new.
This was my first foray into Sobule’s work. I have to say, I am sad that I hadn’t dived into it sooner. Sobule is an exceptional storyteller. She writes music that isn’t overly poetic, but still as deep and gripping. Her wit, humor, and honesty are what make the songs so interesting. As for her legacy with “I Kissed a Girl” and the its relation to Katy Perry’s 2008 release, there’s no bad blood. Sobule has joked about having beef, but overall she’s happy for Katy. Sobule is also more than a novelty around the song, she’s a verbose songwriter and musician. She’s released 10 albums since her 1995 breakout record. I have in particular been fascinated with her 2014 release, Dottie’s Charms, in which Sobule and fellow writers come together to make songs around this old charm bracelet that she was gifted. I absolutely love the idea behind this record (and maybe a little miffed I wasn’t able to snatch it up originally on vinyl, but I did find it on vinyl). I love the creativity of thinking up someone’s story based only on just these little trinkets left by them. As someone with an active imagination who loves to do this kind of stuff, expect a review on this album soon. (Next Jill Drive release on her website, I’m getting!) My overall highlights off the album:
- “I Kissed a Girl”
- “Karen by Night”
- “Vrbana Bridge”
- “The Jig is Up”
- “Supermodel”
My overall rating: 7 out of 10 supermodels… duh!
Jill’s Website: https://www.jillsobule.com/about
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