by Joey Guerra
Entertainment Editor
The last time we encountered singer/songwriter Jill Sobule, she was innocently singing about kissing a girl. The song struck a chord in many a listener, giving gay people something to cheer about (Sobule picked up an award for Outstanding Song at the Seventh Annual Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards) and straight women a notion to ponder.
Beyond that one breakout hit, though, Sobule's catchy and offbeat album as a whole was ignored. Sure, the single helped sell a few more copies, but Sobule eventually fell off the map.
Regrouped, re-energized and banging the drums on many of the album's tracks (a talent she picked up before recording), Sobule shines on her third album, the instantly likable Happy Town. The first single, "Bitter," is not a jagged little ode to the miserable state of life, but a vow to not become a jaded person in the face of adversity. "I could sneer, I could glare/Say that life is so unfair/And the one who made it, made it/'Cuz her breasts were really big/ ... So I'll smile with the rest/I'll wish everyone the best/And know the one who made it/Made it cuz she was actually pretty good."
Sobule's lyrics ring refreshingly true, and are a nice alternative to all the ironic, drop-dead gorgeous bitches dominating the airwaves.
There's an unbridled energy in Sobule's delivery on much of Happy Town (which features backing vocals by Steve Earle), from the '70s grooves of the title track and "When My Ship Comes In" to the wistful longing of "Barren Egg," a telling tale about motherhood that may not be as unwanted as it seems.
Love songs permeate Happy Town, but not the clichéd, I-love-to-hate-you-hurts-so-good kind. Sobule is strikingly personal on many tracks, creating a world of love, loss, hope and redemption. While her previous, self-titled effort crackled with quirky musings, Happy Town seems like a diary set to music. "I can't wait to be in your arms again/'Cause I always think this could be the last time/When you dig deep and you see more and you get bored," she sings on "Clever," marking a fear we all have in relationships.
The second half of the album branches out, exploring a number of different themes. High school horror stories take on a newfound poignancy on "Underachiever," which reads like a virtual theme song for the film Welcome to the Dollhouse. "Soldiers of Christ" is a deadpan look at the twisted state of religion ("Our lord loves the unborn babies and the NRA/Our lord hates the liberals, the faggots and their friends/We're soldiers of Christ and we're here to defend"), and "Attic," a homage of sorts to Anne Frank, explores Sobule's Jewish background.
There's lots to love in this Happy Town, which certifies Sobule as an accomplished singer and insightful songwriter. She may not be kissing girls this time, but amazingly, Sobule has peeled away the decorative layers and dug even deeper to create a solid, original and completely satisfying piece of work.