Sherbets – Black Jenny

1. Black Jenny
2. Baby Gun

I never quite got movie soundtracks. Sure, the songs sound great in context, but when removed from the emotional setting and stripped of the dramatic significance, they lose some — if not most — of their appeal. However, Sherbets‘ “Black Jenny” is an exceptional exception.

Though I’ll always associate it with the aimless wandering of a disaffected youth in Gu Su-Yeon’s Worst by Chance, I love it all the same without the imagery. Perhaps it’s because the song plays like a film in its own right. Beginning with a soft, delicate melody, it slowly escalates in intensity, introducing more elements along the way, until it culminates in a climax of guitar riffs and hoarse mumbling. Needless to say, by the end of the song’s 8 minutes, it’s almost as if you’re listening to an entirely different song. Whether this is good or bad, however, is certainly arguable, but it’s definitely worth a listen, even if for the individual parts.

B-side “Baby Gun” is both more frantic and consistent. While “Black Jenny” vocals gave off a more mature sound, the singer here seems to have resorted some sort of incoherent, drunken slur. Miraculously, it works wonderfully with the song’s rhythm and contributes to the overall charm. The stuttering of “baby,” in particular, adds a level of catchiness which elevates it beyond casual listening to addiction. For that, I’m inclined to call “Baby Gun” my favourite, but the reality is, whichever one I happen to be listening to always seems to comes out on top.

Check out a live concert performance of the ridiculously long “Black Jenny” after the break.

CD Japan
Amazon JP
HMV JP