Jill Sobule
Pink Pearl
Beyond
I’m afraid that Jill Sobule is cursed. It’s a curse of her own making. I fear that no matter how many albums she releases, no matter how many great songs she writes, she will always be linked to her first hit, “I Kissed a Girl.” You say the name Jill Sobule, and people look at you blankly. You say “I Kissed a Girl,” and they know who she is. Her new album, Pink Pearl, despite some really great songs, is unlikely to alter her Sapphic legacy. “One of These Days” is a good song, but it covers a lot of ground covered before, and more successfully, on “The Jig is Up” from Sobule’s self-titled second album. The same can be said for “Loveless Motel,” which is basically a more focused version of “Couple on the Street.”
The real stand out track on Pink Pearl is an odd choice, “Mary Kay.” It’s not about cosmetics, it’s a quirky love song from the Princess of quirky love songs about Mary Kay LeTourneau. It’s easily the best track on this record, and the best song Sobule’s done in years. I doubt it’s the song that’s going to alter her “I Kissed a Girl” identity, but it’s strong enough to alone warrant a good review for Pink Pearl.
