Jackyl Jackyl Artist

Forever confined to infamy as the authors of the one and only Lumberjack song, {|Jackyl|} nonetheless did have more to offer than that one chain saw-wielding song and its sightly video. In fact, their self-titled debut album has a good share of above... Read more

Forever confined to infamy as the authors of the one and only Lumberjack song, {|Jackyl|} nonetheless did have more to offer than that one chain saw-wielding song and its sightly video. In fact, their self-titled debut album has a good share of above-average early-'90s hair metal, making it one of the few albums of its era (and, yes, there were many) that stands out in retrospect. First off, {|Jackyl|} isn't your typical hair metal band by any measure. They're not from Los Angeles, aren't glammed up, and don't offer the obligatory power ballad; rather, they're Southern rockers by nature and, perhaps uncoincidentally, have more than a passing resemblance to {|Brian Johnson|}-era {|AC/DC|}. Even so, their singalong choruses are, for the most part, unmistakingly hair metal styled, as is the glossy sheen of their production, so the songs on {|Jackyl|} are easily accessible to all. Edgy music this is not. The opening run of songs -- I Stand Alone, Dirty Little Mind, Down on Me, and When Will It Rain -- go down especially smoothly, pretty much as smoothly as anything offered by the likes of {|Warrant|}, {|the Bulletboys|}, {|Slaughter|}, {|Trixter|}, {|Love/Hate|}, ad infinitum. From here, the band tones down the singalong factor a bit and showcases its eccentric side: songs like Redneck Punk, She Loves My Cock, and of course, The Lumberjack definitely aren't your typical hair metal fare and are essentially what set {|Jackyl|} apart from their innumerable contemporaries. In the end, they haven't done anything too remarkable on their debut album. They've simply offered an above-average hair metal album with a couple highlights and a fun touch of novelty. Yet that in itself is somewhat remarkable. As a result, {|Jackyl|} is one of those few early-'90s hair metal albums you can return to with a sly grin rather than a disowning cringe. As for what came after afterward, that's a good question that few can answer, as {|Jackyl|} disappeared as suddenly as they surfaced, confined forever to Lumberjack infamy. ~ Jason Birchmeier Less