"California Years" album
Released: April 14th, 2009
A woman who should need no introduction, but always has to remind people of her two semi-hits, is the crafty and folky Jill Sobule. This week she releases her remarkable album, "California Years." A former New Yorker, this album recounts Sobule's new life in the City of Angels.
The opening cut, "Palm Springs," introduces the listener to Sobule's pilgrimage to the sunny coasts of California. From there, Sobule's songs recount stories of the various characters she's met and situations she's found herself in. Her clever lyricism exudes sly humour at one moment, than a tender confessional in the next.
Unlike previous albums, "California Years" sounds as if it were a live recording. The vocals are brought to the front of the mix, raw and untreated. The delicate instrumentation mirrors the vocals, providing an intimate experience to the listener.
Sobule's songwriting is perhaps too cunning for the average music audience. This is probably why Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" rocketed to #1, and Sobule's only to #67. Despite this moment in pop music ignorance, go out and purchase Jill Sobule's new album. Trust me, it will outlive most of the garbage that's out there.
Watch music video for "San Francisco"
Hi Mark,
ReplyDeleteLove the blog. Thanks for the review on Jill Sobule. You're right that she both deserves far more recognition than she gets and that she's probably not mainstream enough to get it in the corporate music-driven culture. Looking forward to hearing her new album!
Faith