REVIEW. JACK OFF JILL --- HUMID TEENAGE MEDIOCRITY

This is a collection of Jack Off Jill's early recordings with their original line-up from the period 1992 - 1996.  The songs were previously only available on limited edition cassette only releases that were really hard to get hold of especially for fans outside the USA.  So it's great that these songs have all had a proper release at last.  Most of these songs appeared on the unofficial bootleg called "Hard Rock Queens".  The main difference between the two is that Hard Rock Queens has only 18 tracks but it does have 2 tracks not on the official compilation --- Testicle Football and Cockroach Waltz.  Humid Teenage Mediocrity has 22 tracks as it features demo versions of 9 tracks off their debut album, "Sexless Demons and Scars" (so it's almost like getting 2 albums for the price of 1).

Sometimes a band's early songs don't quite live up to their fully realised, more well-known work but that isn't the case here.  All the songs are as good as their later stuff with the same aggressive metal tunes and disturbing imagery.  Jessicka's voice alternates between a little girl whisper and a banshee's scream.  The songs don't have that half finished, weak sound of a lot of demos instead they're powerful hits of catchy rock music.  Most of the songs were produced by Marilyn Manson and he contributed the liner notes where he talks of his friendship with Jessicka.  There's also some photos of the early band line-up.  This is a great introduction to the band and an essential purchase for any Jack Off Jill fans.  It's a testament to how good this band were that they are still gaining devoted fans even several years after they split up.  They still have a website at http://www.jackoffjill.com/ that has information on all their releases and band members.

--- Jessicka came off like a Goth-rock Paula Abdul who borrowed some of her look from the then-trendy riot grrls and threw in a dash of blood, glitter, morbid humour, little girl charm and Boy-George-meets-Lydia-Lunch, making it her signature kinder Goth look all her own.  (Marilyn Manson from the liner notes).

Originally published in December 2004.

NOTE:  This review refers to the UK release of the CD.  The American version has different artwork and 3 extra tracks.