"Hearing "Clear Hearts Grey Flowers" and "Sexless Demons and Scars" back to back one would be hard pressed to tell they were even recorded by the same artist. Where "Sexless Demons" is a stripped down, raw, punk rock album "Clear Hearts" is a more soulful pop oriented offering. And by pop I mean the kind of music you can still chop the heads off your Barbies and scrawl pentagrams on your notebook to.Jessicka has refined her vocal range and displays it nicely here. Her bloodcurdling screech and sickly sweet innocent little girl purr are still present but they take a back seat to more plaintive, sorrowful vocalizations. With the expressiveness of her voice and the intonation she puts on the lyrics she manages to wring every little bit of meaning out of her words.Their lyrical content doesn't seem to have changed much between the two albums but, again, there's a more desperate/futile quality to it. As yet more evidence of this new tone is their cover of The Cure's "Love Song" which appears as a secret track. All of this is still backed by their telltale hard driving rythms but at the same time they too convey this melancholy."Clear Hearts Grey Flowers" is a crossover hit for Jack Off Jill which should appeal to goth fans (think Switchblade Symphony) and mainstream pop-punk (those of you who buy into Hole)lovers alike."
Melodic, heavy and aggressive.
Roger Williams | Providence, RI | 03/07/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'd never really heard of Jack Off Jill before a friend of mine recommended this album, but I'm quickly becoming a fan. JoJ takes a bonafide metal approach - not Korn-ish "nu-metal" or the like - and makes it catchy and tuneful. My favorite tracks here are "Strawberry Gashes" and "Nazi Halo" with their relentless barre chord wall of sound and angry screaming (it's really more melodic and engaging than the words "angry screaming" would hint at). The musicianship of the entire seems to have suddenly grown by leaps and bounds from their previous album, which is also a compliment to Jessicka's songwriting and band leadership talents. Since I'm a man, most of the gynocentric lyrics examining the role women are forced to play are, frankly, not really something I can relate to. However, Jessicka's anger is not misdirected, and somehow manages to avoid the cliche fest it could have easily become."
Gotta luv it!
tyggrrr | Denver, CO USA | 11/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first saw Jack off Jill perform with Lords of Acid, and Jessicka threw her band-aid at me. I could tell she had class- And it shines through on Clear Hearts Grey Flowers! The words are quite intelligent and catchy. I find myself singing Cinnamon Spiders at work all the time. It's not chick rock or "I'm trying to be like the boys" rock..It's just plain and simple Jack off Jill. No one else comes close...and the cover of the Cure's Love Song alone is worth the purchase of the CD!"
The Apple Falls Far From the Tree Indeed...
Mail Order Messiah | My Personal Hell | 03/20/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Jessicka said it best during track 7, 'Vivica,' when she sings, "The apple falls far from the tree." The difference between this CD and the last one (Sexless Demons and Scars) is amazing.
The last CD was pretty good, but alot of the lyrics were sketchy at best. (My Cat is a pussy superstar? Come on...) But all the lyrics on this CD are very solid, and very true. I love the difference in music, as well. You would have never heard anything like Vivica or Strawberry Gashes on Sexless Demons and Scars.
Truly, this is a wonderful album in it's own right, from the very beginning, when you hear the piano intro that ended 'Angels F*ck, Devils Kiss' on the last album, until you hear track 66, Love Song. When I Am Queen is just the perfect way to kick off the album, and it only gets better (Except for Underjoyed, that one rubbed me the wrong way for some reason).
The best songs along the ride are Strawberry Gashes, Vivica, and Star No Star. Strawberry Gashes wonderfully ties in awesome guitar riffs with Jessicka's voice at it's most beautiful, with great lyrics as well. Vivica is much slower, and I love it when bands can pull off tying in an acoustic guitar like Jack Off Jill does here. Again, I love the lyrics. Finally, Star No Star is one of the better songs on the album, and is at a bit of a slower pace than much of the album. Still, it all comes together very well.
Clear Hearts Grey Flowers is a beautiful way to end the era of Jack Off Jill (Don't be sad, there's still Scarling), and everyone should buy this album. NO EXCUSES!"
It's true...one of the best cd's ever
Nemo Daison | Tupelo, MS | 09/23/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Just like many of the previous reviewers have said, this cd truly is amazing, and I would say one of the best releases ever, girl band or not. Never boring, and always mesmerizing, Clear Hearts Grey Flowers is just as great to listen to now as it was 3 years ago. You just can't get enough of Jessicka's freakin' awesome voice. Whether she's yelling (When I am Queen), just singing (Strawberry Gashes), or if only basically talking (Witch Hunt), her voice is one of the best. I would listen to her singing knick knack paddy whack. I can't pick any stand out tracks cause I likes em all very much. I hate that Jack off Jill is no more...so where is Jessicka's new band Scarling???? ahhhh!!?!?!"