The album Jack Black loved so much he called it “a kick in the nuts”
It’s hard to take Jack Black seriously as one of the definitive names in rock. Sure, he has killer vocals, great songwriting ability and undying devotion to the genre, but when he also voices a Kung Fu Panda, makes persistent dick jokes and dresses like he uses acid instead of washing up tablets, a lot of what he has to offer goes under-appreciated. Make no mistake, though, Jack Black is one of the best rock vocalists out there, and his devotion to music makes him an undeniable authority in the genre.
There is a great deal that goes into a rock song, and subsequently, there is a great deal that people can like about rock music, too. Jack Black appreciates all of these different elements, whether it is the vocal ability of the person performing, a killer guitar solo, or the way sound culminates to provide an otherworldly experience.
Granted, he’s not a rock vocalist, but Black has previously praised Bobby McFerrin, calling him one of his biggest vocal inspirations. “I was obsessed with him, I would go so far as to say, because I had always imagined myself going out on stage by myself and blowing people’s minds just with the power of my singing voice.”
Of course, there is more than just singing that goes into rock music. It is something that Jack Black is also very aware of. The way he nods along to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and AC/DC are the actions of a pro. When discussing the Sabbath album We Sold Our Soul for Rock N Roll, Black says, “This album is a capsule of a romantic time when Satan was real. You were going to hell, but you didn’t care because it rocked so fucking hard.”
There is one album in particular, though, that is the pinnacle of rock music for Black. All of the elements that come together to make a great rock ‘n’ roll track, the kind of thing that would be worth going to hell for, culminate in an LP released in 1993. That album is Exile in Guyville by Liz Phair.
Exile in Guyville was the singer’s debut, and it immediately cemented her as one of the rock vocalists to keep an eye on. After making it into an array of album of the year lists and enjoying critical acclaim, Phair truly showed people what she was made of with this project. Jack Black was listening, and he continues to listen to this day.
“Song after song, it’s a kick in the nuts and a clop in the chops,” he said, “She’s got those meandering melodies that never stop. So complex and delicious. Love her.”
Black is one of the best rock vocalists on the planet and the pinnacle of what a rock music fan should be. He loves throwing himself into the genre and becoming enveloped in everything that it has to offer. Liz Phair’s Exile in Guyville personifies all the aspects of rock that go into his devotion to the genre, so it’s hardly a surprise he continues to listen.
