I bought this after I heard "Cinnamon Park" in the mall. It's nice to see this nerdy pseudo-folk singer proving that she can do the hell out of pop music.

Before I bought the album, I remember wondering if the whole thing sounded like "Cinnamon Park." I pretty much knew it couldn't. "Joey" is another up-tempo number that comes pretty close.

The rest of the album is pretty melancholy. Several songs, such as "Last Line," are as sad and poignant as they come. I guess the closest thing I can compare these songs to is Aimee Mann, but that's an imperfect comparison that doesn't do either woman justice.

This was one of my favorite albums of 2005, and I still pull it out often for repeat listens. "Underdog Victorious" is easily her best album since "Jill Sobule" almost made her a star with "I Kissed a Girl." But I have long been a sucker for this kind of perfectly realized pop: a brilliant balance of peppy upbeat songs like "Cinnamon Park" (which gleefully cribs from Chicago's "Saturday in the Park" and should have been all over radio) to the intimate "Thank Misery."

Jill's forte has always been character songs (like "Mary Kay" on "Pink Pearl" or "Underachiever" on "Happy Town"), and "Underdog Victorious" will not let you down there. In fact, her best song in that genre since "I Kissed A Girl" is the title track, a T-Rex/Mott The Hoople (Jill has been known to play "All The Young Dudes" live) ode to misfit wannabe rock stars.

"A couple years later tried out for the band
Did covers of Matchbox 20.
But he was dreaming of the New York Dolls
And Max's Kansas City.
Of course they never called him back,
they thought he was too queer.
But he didn't care, back in his room
he sang into the mirror.
And he sang, Underdog Victorious."

Why this - and "Cinnamon Park" - could not get the attention of melody deficient radio breaks my mind. But even more of a stunner is "Tel Aviv," the dark and spare story of a teen-aged sex slave forced into prostitution. It's a dark turn into territory bleaker than Jill usually heads for, at least not since "Evian" from her "Things Here Are Different" debut. Almost as dark but not as biting is "Under The Disco Ball" a brief and funny turn against religious hypocrisy and homophobia. It's the stuff Warren Zevon (whom Jill toured with and covered "Don't Let Us Get Sick") excelled at, and Jill pays tribute to her friend by matching his wit and ironic observatory skills all across "Underdog Victorious." (It seems no small coincidence that Jill is now on Aretmis Records, who released Zevon's "The Wind.")

The package is also a treat; initially I learned of the album's release via NPR when Jill dropped in on puzzle master Will Shortz. It is his humorous crossword puzzle art on the CD booklet, and Jill played "Cinnamon Park" on the show as well as a snippet of the title track. I was floored...this artist that I had enjoyed in the 90's was back and I hadn't known. Don't let that happen to you. In a rare case of an artist creating some of her best work over a decade into her career, Jill Sobule has a triumphant album in "Underdog Victorious."

I saw Jill Sobule open for Billy Bragg and was immediately won over. In the front row, there was a girl 11-14yo that knew all the lyrics, and Jill brought her up on stage to sing a song (Cinnamon Park, I think), and it stole the whole show. Ms. Sobule played the event perfectly and I'm sure it made the girl's year and was a very warm moment for the whole audience.

Unfortunately, Billy Bragg had to follow this, and W.C. Fields is right, never follow dogs or children. The show was a disaster as he kept obsessing out loud about how he was going to top the event. His solution was, shall we say, less than spectacular and I'll leave it at that. My opinion of Billy Bragg has not recovered from that concert, and that's too bad; his songs and the recorded delivery of them are genius.

The event did highlight however what a great live performer Ms. Sobule is, I bought this album, and all the songs are great (I can't remember the last time I could say that). She's incredibly witty, funny, and has a real gift for a pop tune. She's also dark behind a completely smiling act, and that's deeply appealing. I would say, if you like Dan Bern, you'll like her and vice versa, but how many people is that going to help? Both artists will cure what ails ya.

I love Jill's work. She's underrated.

Her music is refreshing, humorous, thoughtful, honest with clarity & simplicity that just elevates the spirit.

GO JILL GO!

I just saw Jill "on accident" last night, when she opened for my idol Cyndi Lauper in Lakewood, OH. She performed several songs from this CD, and she was a riot...what a great performer! Quite a few of her songs had the audience in stitches. Based on the material she performed last night (not to mention her sheer RAW talent, with just a guitar!), I'm definately going to add this CD to my collection, and Jill to my list of favorite performers.