Jackyl - Jackyl 25 (1992/2017)

It seems like just yesterday that I discovered Jackyl on MTV performing on the bed of as 18 wheeler’s trailer on the music video of “I Stand Alone.” I remember thinking “Wow, that’s a catchy tune.” The band issued the video as a visual protest to K-Mart’s ‘unwillingness’ to stock the band’s 1992 Geffen Records issued ‘self-titled’ debut album. Frontman Jesse James Dupree and [brothers] guitarist Jeff Worley and drummer Chris Worley have gone through a few line-up changes but they have endured. Bassist Roman Glick (Brother Cane, Slave To The System) is the ‘new guy’ in the band, though he’s been in the line-up for about 15 years at this point.

If you’re familiar with the band, you bet that “I Stand Alone,” “Down On Me,” “When Will It Rain,” and “The Lumberjack” will be showing up on a Jackyl compilation. Deeper cuts from the sophomore like “Push Comes To Shove” and “Secret Of The Bottle” are also welcome additions. It should be noted that the tracks from the two Geffen albums (‘self-titled’ and ‘Push Comes To Shove’) and the Sony album Cut The Crap are the ‘original recordings’ and not recut versions, as often times bands do. Latter day tracks “My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine’s Ass,” a high powered groove oriented rocker and the crushing, country influenced “Just Because I’m Drunk,” are both of which have become staples in the current Jackyl set and excellent additions ’25 Years.’

Absent are monster cuts “Headed For Destruction” from Push Comes To Shove and “Locked & Loaded” from Cut The Crap’featuring Brian Johnson [AC/DC] on guest vocals; could have easily replaced the ‘uncomfortable’ “Just Like A Negro” (I know it’s a reworked cover of Mother’s Finest, but still…) or the cringe worthy “Rally.” ’25 Years’ closes with a (previously unreleased) live recording of “Redneck Punk” from the Jackyl album and a (previously unreleased) cover of Black Oak Arkansas’ “Hot And Nasty” end the celebration on a high note. As far as compilations go, 25 Years falls somewhere between previous Jackyl compilations 20th Century Masters-The Millennium Collection (2003) and Choice Cuts’ (1998) — the latter being the better of the two. I’m left asking where did that 25 years go?

Track List:

01. Down on Me
02. When Will It Rain
03. The Lumberjack
04. Push Comes To Shove
05. Secret Of The Bottle
06. Dumb Ass Country Boy
07. Cut The Crap
08. Kill The Sunshine
09. My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine’s Ass
10. Just Like A Negro (featuring DMC)
11. Screwdriver
12. Encore
13. Favorite Sin
14. Rally
15. Just Because I’m Drunk
16. Redneck Punk (live)
17. Hot and Nasty