Rickie Lee Jones

rickie lee jones

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Limited edition Japanese pressing of the 1979 original release has been remastered and comes packaged in a paper sleeve. Warner. 2005.

Rickie Lee Jones,Rickie Lee Jones,Rock/Pop

Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Doyt, Doyt!
  • One Song: The Last Chance Texaco
  • An oldie, but a goodie!
  • Good ALbum
  • Flyin' high in '79
 Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ContemporaryContemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
HeroesHeroes | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music
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  1. Pirates
  2. The Magazine
  3. Flying Cowboys
  4. Pop Pop
  5. Duchess of Coolsville: An Anthology

ASIN: B000002KK2
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Chuck E.'s In Love
  2. On Saturday Afternoons In 1963
  3. Night Train
  4. Young Blood
  5. Easy Money
  6. Last Chance Texaco
  7. Danny's All-star Joint
  8. Coolsville
  9. Weasel and The White Boys Cool
  10. Company
  11. After Hours (Twelve Bars Past Goodnight)

Amazon.com

The breezy melodies and jazz stylings of Rickie Lee Jones's debut album are usually found in the works of more mature pop artists. It's only the exuberance of Jones's often cackling voice that reminds you that a 23-year-old is at the controls. And Jones's "little girl lost" perspective, while hanging out in mid-1970s Los Angeles with neo-Beat songwriters-barroom troubadours Tom Waits and Chuck E. Weiss, makes for colorful storytelling. In fact, her tale about Weiss, "Chuck E.'s in Love," hit the Top 10. But there's a lot more elegant stuff here: "Last Chance Texaco" is a soaring ballad about automobiles and broken hearts, and the Sinatra-esque "After Hours" features a lonely Jones singing to a lamppost. --Bill Crandall

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Doyt, Doyt!.......2007-07-09

I discovered this album just before "Doyt Doyt!" began appearing on t-shirts in and around Toronto, and was so pleased to see it get popular. I remember her singing selections on "Saturday Night Live" too.

I had it on vinyl, I replaced it on CD. It's one of my most played CD's. I can't live without it. I have nothing bad to say about any one of its shimmering, jazzy, easy-on-the-ears tracks. Most importantly, it's INTELLIGENT. This is the one CD I can actually use the wordS "SMART" and "GROOVY!" on.

If you like easy listening, jazz, real sentiment (not that mushy manufactured stuff), and streetwise romance, get this. You'll love it, swear.

4 out of 5 stars One Song: The Last Chance Texaco.......2007-05-18

It's hard to believe Ricki Lee Jones was only 23 when she recorded this album (according to the Amazon review). I suppose I was in a similar space when I was that age, slumming. But I never wrote a song this good (I checked the ASCAP database, and yes, she did write it). This guitar-driven, Doppler-effected, blues inflected, spoken-word dejected hymn to the American highway is flat-out brilliant. Here's how it ends:

"But this one ain't fuel-injected
Her plugs disconnected
She gets scared and she stalls
She just needs a man, that's all

It's her last chance
Her timing's all wrong
Her last chance
She can't idle this long
Her last chance
Turn her over and go
Pullin' out of the last chance Texaco
The last chance"

5 out of 5 stars An oldie, but a goodie!.......2007-03-21

Rickie at her best. If you're new to RLJ, start with this one.

5 out of 5 stars Good ALbum.......2007-03-17

Good Album, you really have to be a Rickie Lee Jones lover to enjoy this.

5 out of 5 stars Flyin' high in '79.......2007-02-28

I was 18 when this was released and latched on to it like a need for speed. rlj never really knew how great she really is. Can't wait to turn my kids on to it.
The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. [Deluxe Limited Edition --- includes 5.1 SACD version and 40 minute DVD of making the record]
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One of the greatest albums of all time
  • interesting idea falls short
  • Spectacular
  • spellbinding
  • Donkey Ride
 The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. [Deluxe Limited Edition --- includes 5.1 SACD version and 40 minute DVD of making the record]
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: New West Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000L211NW
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

  1. Nobody Knows My Name
  2. Gethsemane
  3. Falling Up
  4. Lamp Of My Body
  5. It Hurts
  6. Where I Like It Best
  7. Tried To Be A Man
  8. Circle In The Sand
  9. Donkey Ride
  10. 7th Day
  11. Elvis Cadillac
  12. Road To Emmaus
  13. I Was There

Tracks:

  1. How It All Began
  2. Turn It Down
  3. Late Night Song
  4. Threat Of The Bomb
  5. Tried To Be A Man
  6. The Mystery Box
  7. It Hurts
  8. I Have Another Day
  9. Caught Me In It's Ray
  10. Haven't Had Anything To Eat Today
  11. I Was There
  12. CreditsBonus MP3s for download to MP3 player

Amazon.com

Fans of Rickie Lee Jones and Jesus Christ can decide whether this devotional music is rapturously spiritual or deliriously strange. It sounds like nothing Jones has previously released, or anything characterizable as contemporary Christian. Instead, her voice soars and wobbles through repetitive, stream-of-consciousness incantations over rhythmic throbs and pulses. On "Where I Like It Best," Jones testifies to the power of private prayer (while seeming to cast churchgoers as hypocrites). The feral distortions of "Tried to Be a Man" recall some of the textures (if not the themes) of her former boyfriend Tom Waits, while the acoustic setting of "Donkey Ride" features guitar tunings that might make Sonic Youth wince and "Elvis Cadillac" conjures a singular vision of heaven. At close to eight and a half minutes, the closing "I Was There" seems to follow Van Morrison into the mystic. Some of this music is oddly affecting; much of it is merely odd. --Don McLeese

Album Description

THE SERMON ON EXPOSITION BOULEVARD, the new album by Rickie Lee Jones and her first for New West Records, is a beauty--soul-satisfying and sonically unique. RICKIE LEE sounds completely tapped in, alive and vital, heading down some mighty interesting roads and discovering new magical essences. Lots of creative sparks here--plenty of them. She sounds like she's going through a transformation throughout the album in a way that's reminiscent of Van Morrison's performances on his classic album Astral Weeks.

This is the Special Edition of Rickie Lee Jones' new CD, Sermon On Exposition Boulevard. It contains an SACD version of the CD, with both a High Resolution Stereo and 5.1 Surround Mix. It includes a bonus DVD with 40 minutes of behind the scenes footage. Also included in this Special Edition are High Resolution MP3s of the entire CD to download to your favorite MP3 player, as well as an expanded booklet with extra photos, artwork and liner notes.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the greatest albums of all time.......2007-07-06

This is one of the greatest albums of all time. With the wide range of feel, there should be a starting point for everyone. Then listen to the whole thing. Amazing!

2 out of 5 stars interesting idea falls short.......2007-06-27

I felt the "Sermon" was a great idea.. the Gospel according to Rickie Lee. The lyrics are compelling and filled with that wonderful poignant, poetic Rickie Lee touch, but the music seemed like an afterthought. It just didn't interest me very much, and did not stay with me. the DVD was so boring, I couldn't get through the whole thing.
Maybe that was her idea, to just set a story to music, but I much prefer her other albums with songs that are memorable and singable.

5 out of 5 stars Spectacular.......2007-06-24

I have been listening to this album since January and I must say I am as entranced by it now as I was on the first listen. This album is raw, passionate, thought-provoking and inspiring- like great music should be.
I am not religious or spiritual but this album speaks to me like no other release this year.
Rickie Lee Jones fans should love it and I only hope that people not previously exposed to this extraordinary musician will take a chance on this CD. You will not be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars spellbinding.......2007-05-23

If the number of plays on my iPod is a sign, this is my favorite RLJ CD in many years. I've bought and liked everything she's put out, but this one...well, it's not the type of CD you can immediately and easily figure out. It's musically and lyrically different than anything she's done in the past. But it's the type of CD that compels you to play it often to investigate the mystery. It draws you in. I keep going back to it. It reminds me of David Bowie's Low or Neil Young or Lou Reed, a complex work done out of the comfort zone, not done with great commercial expectations that turns out to be a mighty work of art. I really can't explain much about it lyrically and don't know exactly what she's aiming for, but I am thrilled and moved trying to figure it out. Also, the computer sound files are of great quality that puts iTunes to shame.

2 out of 5 stars Donkey Ride.......2007-05-19

When this CD was released, I ran out & bought it as soon as it hit the store shelves in our town. I read a glowing review that told me Rickie Lee was exploring spiritual themes on a very different disc. I opted for the DVD 2-disc version. First, I watched the DVD. I think this DVD would be good for musicians looking to see how a seasoned veteran works in the studio. We see Rickie in very informal attire looking like a working musician. It's not particularly entertaining, however. Perhaps watching her in concert performing this set would have had more polish. It is neat to see Rickie in her home office where she obviously works, but the song takes are not entrancing. The material on the disc has grown on me. I think I would describe the material more as "religious" rather than "spiritual." There isn't a lot here about values or lessons. This is more like a Jesus biography. On one of the more accessible tracks, "Elvis Cadillac," Rickie Lee free associates with her strumming putting a smile on your face, "Standing in the doorway, I'm happy living here. Everyone tries so hard to sing a song no one can hear." "Circle in the Sand" is probably the best song that stands alone on its own with its driving beat and Rickie's expressive vocals, "When an angel picked me up, she called my name; There is charity, but says power, money & fame." Much of the rest of the disc is enjoyable, but rather formless. "It Hurts" & "Donkey Ride" do hurt to listen to. While I enjoy Rickie Lee's thematic exploration, the music just doesn't work very well. Rickie Lee is a terrific singer. I'm glad to have this chapter of her work, but it won't be the one that goes into the changer frequently. The DVD may never be seen again. Taxi.
Pirates
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Please enter a title for your review
  • A Fantastic Followup
  • Greatness
  • A Haunting Seduction.....
  • A gem that should never be forgotten
 Pirates
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ContemporaryContemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. Rickie Lee Jones
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ASIN: B000002KL7
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. We Belong Together
  2. Living It Up
  3. Skeletons
  4. Woody And Dutch On The Slow Train To Peking
  5. Pirates(So Long Lonely Avenue)
  6. A Lucky Guy
  7. Traces Of The Western Slopes
  8. The Returns

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Please enter a title for your review.......2007-01-29

American Idol made me think singing was lame. This album changed my mind.

5 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Followup.......2006-12-13

This is a great followup to Rickie Lee Jones' self-titled debut. There is no sophomore jinx here. "We Belong Together," "Living It Up," and "Skeletons" are worth their weight in gold. The voice is still pure and has held up to this day. Rickie's musicianship and song writing have not diminished and this album 25 years later is a testament to that fact. This is worth every penny and I highly encourage purchasing!

5 out of 5 stars Greatness .......2006-06-26

Rickie Lee's follow-up to her stunning debut did not resonate with me at all when I first purchased it way back in 1981. I hated it. Then, one day, it hit me - - this is great! Pirates has been with me ever since. The characters she paints ("c**t-finger Louie) and stories she tells (the heartbroken kid in "Skeletons" - building model planes which resemble bones) are brilliant. This album is a classic and would be a wise buy for anyone who appreciates unique songwriting delivered in a manner that only Rickie can pull off.

5 out of 5 stars A Haunting Seduction............2005-11-03

Rickie was in 1979, and is still today in 2005, my favorite female singer. While critics compared her to Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro, Rickie was in a class all by herself. No one has ever come close to imitating her style- lyrically or musically. Listening to this wonderful masterpiece on cd is like being given a gift from Rickie herself. Play this cd late at night with the lights out and you'd swear this artist is singing directly to you, for you. Every composition is that personal. Every song on this cd is my favorite, so I can't recommend listening to one over the other. Just trust me, you need this in your collection of must-haves. She is that good. P.S. Thank God "Girl At Her Volcano", her third LP, is now finally on cd!! I've completely worn out the original 10" vinyl LP and cassette.

5 out of 5 stars A gem that should never be forgotten.......2005-06-18

This isn't just Rickie Lee Jones' best album, its among the best period. Funny thing is, I'll never forget how much I hated it on first listening. I just didn't get it. But I gave it a chance and it is masterpeice. Its storytelling and poetry are the likes of which we rarely see these days. That's just the lyrics. When you consider the music which is jazzy, be bop and a little avant garde _ this is a tremendous work. Finally it is a sincerely emotional piece. Most of it is sad and expresses a longing, loneliness and even tragedy, but makes the fun and joy of the title tune, with Jones scatting like she'd been possesed by the ghost of Ella Fitzgerald, so joyous. Some might even call this album depressing, but the trick is that it makes you FEEL! A philospher once said that that is what art is all about
Flying Cowboys
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • rickie lee jones
  • I've Only Heard (and Seen) "Ghetto of My Mind"; Wow!
  • A Definite "Desert Island" Disc
  • I gotta agree....
  • Beautiful Music
 Flying Cowboys
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ContemporaryContemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000000ORL
Release Date: 1989-09-19

Tracks:

  1. The Horses
  2. Just My Baby
  3. Ghetto Of My Mind
  4. Rodeo Girl
  5. Satellites
  6. Ghost Train
  7. Flying Cowboys
  8. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
  9. Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive
  10. Away From The Sky
  11. Atlas' Marker

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars rickie lee jones.......2007-06-19

written for her daughter love the poetry about horses, being free and cowboys.the music and words flow together.

5 out of 5 stars I've Only Heard (and Seen) "Ghetto of My Mind"; Wow!.......2005-05-07

Over the years I have videotaped many Saturday Night Live programs, and the one which featured RLJ was near the one which featured Neil Young's great performance of "Keep On Rockin' (in the Free World)" so I kept that tape.

What I did not know - my videotaping habits then were better than my viewing habits - was that RLJ had an astonishing performance of "Ghetto" literally mesmerizing! Doesn't matter that the song alone couldn't equal the performance in 1989, that kind of performance was so unique in the best sense of the term that I will buy the CD without hearing even one other song segment.

Sorry I can't share that video with everyone who posted to this CD. You deserve it!

5 out of 5 stars A Definite "Desert Island" Disc.......2005-01-22

Although released in 1989, Flying Cowboys remains one of my favorite musical pieces in my entire collection of CDs and definitely one of the most essential in Jone's discography. It's high on my list of must haves if I was to be stranded on the immortal "desert isle".

Jones has always been a talented songwriter and always had a creative knack for telling her musical tales using vivid characters and lush musical arrangements. With some help from producer/songwriter/musician Walter Becker (from Steely Dan), she scores big on this project. The end result here is a mostly upbeat, poetic & jazzy collection of folk/pop with the exception of "Ghost Train". Although "Ghost Train" doesn't seem to fit into the mood of the whole, it is one of my favorites. It works extremely well in illustrating Jone's talent at more bluesier vocals and her overall versatility. From the ethereal "The Horses" to the calypso tinged "Love is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive", the other selections are upbeat, smoothly poetic and mildly romantic. Smooth jazz artist Vonda Shephard (from the Allie McBeal series soundtrack)and jazz great Randy Brecker also perform on a couple of selections.

For those not familiar with Rickie Lee Jones, I highly recommend Flying Cowboys.

5 out of 5 stars I gotta agree...........2003-04-02

...it's one of the finest albums you could own. Each time I listen, it reveals more to me and I can't stop listening. It's "perfect for all occasions" type of CD, it's a great feel good and happy recording. Love 'Ghost Train' and the introduction of more RLJ "characters" for us to meet - she must have had a great life, well so far! Each song holds a story within itself and you just want to hear more. If you are a RLJ fan, or even in you are not, and for some strange reason this is not in your collection, do something about it! Buy it, listen and you will know what I mean.

2 out of 5 stars Beautiful Music.......2003-02-14

This is a wonderful CD, brilliantly produced, with some of the best studio musicians in the world. The sheer musicality of the vocals and harmonies coupled with the musical genius leads to a truly incredible experience. A truly romantic piece, perfect for a night alone with the one you love. RLJ's poetic, deep lyrics only add to the lush sounds on this work of true art. This is RLJ's greatest album, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed her previous or later works. You will not be disappointed.
The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. [Fold-out Digipak with 14 page booklet]
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • jangly unpleasant
  • On this one she soars
  • The Reverend Rickie
  • Only buy it for the packaging.....
  • Grunge meets Gospel Beat Poetry-- For Jones SuperFans Only
 The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. [Fold-out Digipak with 14 page booklet]
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: New West Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Garage RockGarage Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000L211NM
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

  1. Nobody Knows My Name
  2. Gethsemane
  3. Falling Up
  4. Lamp Of The Body
  5. It Hurts
  6. Where I Like It Best
  7. Tried To Be A Man
  8. Circle In The Sand
  9. Donkey Ride
  10. 7th Day
  11. Elvis Cadillac
  12. Road To Emmaus
  13. I Was There

Amazon.com

Fans of Rickie Lee Jones and Jesus Christ can decide whether this devotional music is rapturously spiritual or deliriously strange. It sounds like nothing Jones has previously released, or anything characterizable as contemporary Christian. Instead, her voice soars and wobbles through repetitive, stream-of-consciousness incantations over rhythmic throbs and pulses. On "Where I Like It Best," Jones testifies to the power of private prayer (while seeming to cast churchgoers as hypocrites). The feral distortions of "Tried to Be a Man" recall some of the textures (if not the themes) of her former boyfriend Tom Waits, while the acoustic setting of "Donkey Ride" features guitar tunings that might make Sonic Youth wince and "Elvis Cadillac" conjures a singular vision of heaven. At close to eight and a half minutes, the closing "I Was There" seems to follow Van Morrison into the mystic. Some of this music is oddly affecting; much of it is merely odd. --Don McLeese

Album Description

THE SERMON ON EXPOSITION BOULEVARD, the new album by Rickie Lee Jones and her first for New West Records, is a beauty--soul-satisfying and sonically unique. RICKIE LEE sounds completely tapped in, alive and vital, heading down some mighty interesting roads and discovering new magical essences. Lots of creative sparks here--plenty of them. She sounds like she's going through a transformation throughout the album in a way that's reminiscent of Van Morrison's performances on his classic album Astral Weeks.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars jangly unpleasant.......2007-07-03

I love rickie's music, especially "evening" and "traffic", even "ghostyhead" is more palatable than this mess. Maybe it's the obnoxious music that is obscuring the usual beauty of her voice and poetry... I don't know. It is harder to find the moments of beauty and cohesion in this album than to sit through drunken kareoke. Even amazon's attempt at offering soundbytes with selling points is rough. I guess I'll just do as another reviewer is, stash this unpleasantness and await her next recording.

5 out of 5 stars On this one she soars.......2007-05-19

I always considered Rickie to be a rawer Joni Mitchell. As Courtney Love is a rawer Madonna. But too often she seemed unfocused and distracted.

On this one Rickie shines! This is the high mark of her career so far. Through all the drug hazed days and aimless wandering she's seen the light.

If you never listen to another Rickie album, at least give this one a try.

Falling Up is the song I can't get out of my head.
It Hurts and Elvis Cadillac are other catchy pop tunes.
Nobody Knows My Name and Gethseme are haunting tunes.

3 out of 5 stars The Reverend Rickie.......2007-05-11

Two and one-half stars. I've been a fan of RLJ from her first single, but her albums have always fallen into one of two categories for me: the ones I play all the way through ("Rickie Lee Jones", "Traffic From Paradise", "It's Like This"), and the ones I take a song or two from for the Rickie Lee playlist on my iPod ("The Magazine", "Flying Cowboys"). "The Sermon" falls into the latter category. "Chuck E" aside, hooky pop ditties have never been RLJ's strong suit -- even considering that, "The Sermon" is a tough listen, and is only intermittently worth the effort. After several listens, I am still looking for the songs. I know you're not Avril Levigne, Rickie, but give me something to hang onto here! Her talk-sung sermonette on prayer, "Where I Like It Best", brings tears every time I hear it, on sheer force of emotional authenticity: she exhorts the listener to "take back" prayer from organized religion, to look up and shout "I'm down here, too! I'm down here, too!", and it's goose bump material. "Elvis Cadillac" is a funky hipster vision of the afterlife, and you can't help but smile. But those two songs and the occasional inspired line ("Riding into town on your donkey/But you're going out on a cross") notwithstanding, much of "The Sermon" is jangly accompaniment to a poetry reading.

1 out of 5 stars Only buy it for the packaging............2007-05-09

Talk about one-hit wonders. This disc was so discordant that I could only stand about one-half of one song before I shut it off and hid it away, just in case one of my kids tried to play it someday. Even the lyrics were self-indulgent. When will indies understand that there must be SOMETHING for another HUMAN BEING to connect with, whether it be the music or the words. Don't make us work so hard to like you, Rikkie.

2 out of 5 stars Grunge meets Gospel Beat Poetry-- For Jones SuperFans Only.......2007-05-05

I can respect the artistic integrity of something and still not care to listen to it...Such is the case with this release. It sounds as if Rickie Lee Jones is channeling Allen Ginsburg (if he had stumbled into an evangelical meeting), backed by some teenagers having their third garage band rehearsal. The sound is raw, the melodies often sparse, and in short, nothing like you would find on something like "Traffic from Paradise". If free form grunge or religious theme experiments are your bag, knock yourself out, but for me, I'll put "Stewarts Coat" back on my stereo, wish I'd been more careful before I spent money on this, and wait for her next release.
Girl at Her Volcano
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Rickie Lee Jones: Girl at her Volcano
  • Sublime - A recording for musicans
  • Walk Away Renee
  • My introduction to Billy Strayhorn
  • Tears Of Sorrow, Tears Of Joy
 Girl at Her Volcano
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
PopPop | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Pirates
  2. The Magazine
  3. Rickie Lee Jones
  4. Pop Pop
  5. It's Like This

ASIN: B00000718W
Release Date: 1992-01-01

Tracks:

  1. Lush Life
  2. Letters From The 9th Ward/Walk Away Renee
  3. Hey, Bub
  4. My Funny Valentine
  5. Under the Boardwalk
  6. Rainbow Sleeves
  7. So Long
  8. Something Cool

Album Description

Japanese edition of her top 40 1983 release with a bonus track, a live version of 'Something Cool'. Originally released as a 10' mini album, it features a total of eight tracks. Also contains live versions of 'Lush Life' and 'My Funny Valentine'. A Warner Brothers Records release.

Album Details

Rickie Lee Jones originally issued this in 1983 as a 10-inch vinyl collectible. It is her homage to the songs that inspired her in her career, like 'Girl' (with pal Tom Waits) 'Rainbow Sleeves', 'Walk Away Renee' , "Lush Life", "My Funny Valentine", 'Under the Boardwalk' and more.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Rickie Lee Jones: Girl at her Volcano.......2007-06-02

Rickie Lee Jones in a striped down, at times almost vulnerable way. Any Jones fan should add this to their collection. It's a must have. There are definetly precious, historic,and great moments here!

5 out of 5 stars Sublime - A recording for musicans.......2007-01-16

I generally liked a lot of RLJ's stuff, but when I bought this record in the 80s, it quickly became one of my very favorites. Ricky does her usual cool stuff, but the difference in this recording is the fantastic arrangements and playing by the best LA studio musicians at the time. Ricky plays piano like she means it. The album is not a typical over-produced glob of radio-slick pop, but genuine emotion and artistic subtlety. It's really an outstanding work. The depth of artistry here would be apparent to most listeners, but quite possibly appreciated to its fullest extent by musicians and the most discriminating of listeners.

4 out of 5 stars Walk Away Renee.......2006-11-04

I purchased this CD for its hauntingly beautiful version of the l960's song, Walk Away Renee. The music is dreamy and expressive, and it was well worth the extra money.

5 out of 5 stars My introduction to Billy Strayhorn.......2006-01-20

How has Rickie Lee changed my life? Her recording of "Lush Life" was the first time I had heard that song. Through that introduction I learned about Strayhorn and Ellington and jazz was opened up to me! But "Lush Life" isn't all there is to treasure here. Each song is a moment in time and though I will always have a special place in my heart for "Lush Life" (having worn out two cassettes replaying that single track before this CD issuance), the entire CD is memorable. Rickie Lee rules! And thanks, Rickie, for the introduction to jazz and jazz singers and big bands.......

5 out of 5 stars Tears Of Sorrow, Tears Of Joy.......2005-11-03

I literally cried when this came out on cd. After spending years wearing out the original 10" vinyl LP and cassettes, I now have this masterpiece to enjoy. There will never be another Rickie Lee Jones. Words cannot express what this woman means to me- get her first three albums and listen to them in the dark. You'd swear this woman was singing directly to you, for you. That's how personal her songs are. (1979 Debut- "Rickie Lee Jones", 1981 2nd album-"Pirates", 1983 3rd album-"Girl At Her Volcano").
Pop Pop
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great revival of some timeless classics
  • Nora Jones could take some lessons from Rickie Lee...
  • The Best of its Kind
  • Ahh....
  • Heart-wrenchingly emotional
 Pop Pop
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ContemporaryContemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Traffic from Paradise
  2. Flying Cowboys
  3. It's Like This
  4. Pirates
  5. The Magazine

ASIN: B000000OSL
Release Date: 1991-09-10

Tracks:

  1. My One And Only Love
  2. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
  3. Hi-Lili Hi-Lo
  4. Up From The Skies
  5. Second Time Around
  6. Dat Dere
  7. I'll Be Seeing You
  8. Bye Bye Blackbird
  9. The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
  10. I Won't Grow Up
  11. Love Junkyard
  12. Comin' Back To Me

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great revival of some timeless classics.......2005-10-10

This CD is full of smooth and laid back revivals of some melodies of the last 50 years, delivered in Rickie Lee Jones' unique style. Her delivery can best be described as vulnerable, with her soft voice wavering and floating over the lyrics.

Rickie's version of the classic "Hi-Lili Hi-Lo" revives this work and she pulls off the line "A song of love is a sad song, ask me how I know" to great effect.

Her version of "Second Time Around" seems real with her phrasing and pauses that seem almost conversational.

"I'll Be Seeing You" is mellow, with a clarinett complimenting every line. She ends with the sad line "I'll be looking at the moon but I'll be seeing you."

"Bye Bye Blackbird" comes across fun and jazzy.

"I Won't Grow Up" comes across less Hollywood from the Frank Sanatra version from one of his movies.

"Love Junkyard" is full of odd lyrics, testimony to the creativity and sarcasm of earlier generations.

The CD ends with the very spooky and odd "Comin' Back to Me" that sneeks up on you because she whispers before she sings. This final song haunts like a ghost as Ricki's voice becomes mournful and almost deranged from loss of her lover as she sings "I saw you coming back to me".

A wonderfully mellow and even quality CD.

5 out of 5 stars Nora Jones could take some lessons from Rickie Lee..........2004-09-14

I'll keep this short and sweet...this is a GREAT smooth jazzy album of purely good music....propelled by the ever-cool RLJ and the always tasty Robben Ford....it almost seems like Norah copied the format but caught it in a toime when the ever-so-unpredictable public were ready for smooth, real music.BUY THIS CD....

5 out of 5 stars The Best of its Kind.......2004-03-30

When the question is asked, "What pop singer did the best jazz standards covers," answers that tend to pop up are Linda Ronstadt and Rod Stewart. No, actually: Rickie Lee Jones' "Pop Pop" is the one. I'd give it 4 and 1/2, in truth; but the "best of" anything, no matter how esoteric, ultimately gets 5 in my book. The selections that stick with me are "Love Junkyard," "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," and "My One and Only Love." Ms. Jones has a most interesting voice: at once playful and plaintive, worldly and coquettish. I've heard slightly better covers of these done by Mark Murphy,Johnny Hartman and the New York Voices, among others: but if Rickie Lee Jones leads you to singers like Mark Murphy, Johnny Hartman and the New York Voices, she's definitely worth the ride. As it is, this album is worth having. Recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Ahh...........2003-06-11

Everything that's right with music is in this CD: well-written tunes, inspired performance, creative arranging/interpretation and no excess playing. This was my first real introduction to her music and there's no doubt I will be buying more. It makes you realize how powerful a great song and a great vocalist can be. I'm usually more one for instrumental music, but this makes you realize why once in awhile you need to hear the human voice. The guitar playing is masterful as well. There's a couple of jazz tunes on here that I had gotten sick of, but now am dying to play myself.

I'm hardly a RLJ expert, so I can't compare this to anything else of hers...yet. I've listened to this disc about 15 times through and through and I'm still in love with it.

Dave ...

5 out of 5 stars Heart-wrenchingly emotional.......2003-03-23

As has been the case with me before, I bought this one not because of the artist herself, but because Charlie Haden plays on it, and I am a huge fan of his playing. But, Rickie's performance just floored me. Listening to her sing "My one and only love" almost got me to tears. I mean, her voice cracks, fades into a whisper, then comes back up, she phrases somewhat unevenly - all these things sound like a technical analysis of her performance, and that's what it is. But, if you forget about that, and just let her voice invade your heart, you will be moved. Her voice on this song alone is just THE most emotional vocal performance I have ever heard. Now, the rest of the album is not bad, mind you. The musicians are all top-notch, and the instrumentation is generally sparse - no big band, no loud drums or electric guitars. Just the pure sound of a few acoustic instruments supporting her unique voice. A beautiful, stark, un-glamorous little album that is just pure, naked emotion. It is not all sad, of course. The bouncy, upbeat "Dat Dere" provides a needed break from the "seriousness" of most of the other tracks. With this album I added another worthy female vocalist to my playlist. If you have not had a chance to hear Rickie, or just need a passionate performer that does not rely on production gimmicks or hype, give this one a spin.
The Magazine
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Fresh and Modern
  • She changed my life
  • one of her best albums
  • Doesn't get better than this...
  • Sparkling, crystalline perfection.
 The Magazine
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Pirates
  2. Rickie Lee Jones
  3. Flying Cowboys
  4. Traffic from Paradise
  5. Pop Pop

ASIN: B000002L6C
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Prelude To Gravity
  2. Gravity
  3. Juke Box Fury
  4. It Must Be Love
  5. Magazine
  6. Real End
  7. Deep Space
  8. Runaround
  9. Theme For The Pope
  10. Unsigned Painting/Weird Beast

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Fresh and Modern.......2007-01-03

this album (from a time when they were still albums) is still fresh and modern and listening to it again makes you aware of how many artists have been influenced by this music, some of the musical chords amazingly poignant and others so exciting and energy-filled. If you haven't sat still and listened to this from one end to the other in years (while re-reading the lyrics), you owe yourself a treat to do so, you won't regret a moment of it.

5 out of 5 stars She changed my life.......2006-08-01

Though I'd heard "Chuck E.'s in love" on the radio, I didn't really know about Rickie Lee Jones until I started dating Lisa, a sweet girl who had separated from her girlfriend and wanted to try dating a man once more. I discovered her passion, Rickie Lee's Music. We saw Rickie Lee perform in concert at the Universal Amphitheatre, and I bought every record on the market. This was the last one I bought, since Lisa dumped me, letting me know that she was returning to her girlfriend, who had better curves than did I. That's alright. I have Rickie Lee Jones.

5 out of 5 stars one of her best albums.......2006-04-25

This is my favorite of Rickie's recordings. I first was introduced to her music with Flying Cowboys. I used to really enjoy listening to that one late at night as I was closing a store I used to work in. That one has a myriad of musical styles in it, and is really mood-altering and uplifting at the same time, but this album I find to beautiful in a different sort of way.

I agree with the other reviewers that it definitely has a more keyboard-laden approach in relation to her other albums, and her lyrics are more abstractly poetic as opposed to her first few albums. But I think the arrangements and words are simply majestic in their own right, and a great timepiece for the musical vibes going on in the 80's.

If I could best describe the feel of these songs, I would say for me it is like hearing the soundtrack to a movie about real life. Listening to it when I'm in the garage on a cloudy day, It really seemed to illustrate for me in song the feel of growing up in the suburbs. It reminds me of the brown brick building style that used to be so prevalent, of the feeling of watching e.t. in someone's basement den for the first time, of coping with long dormant memories of a time left behind. It also seems to fit with the music that I used to really dig in the early 80's, like Michael Mcdonald, or Steely Dan. But though this album sounds so great, and so real, I can't necessarily compare it directly to any other artists from the same period, though it totally sounds familiar, and modern. It's almost as though it is that way for me because it manages to accurately illustrate an essence beyond music, a place in time, maybe a spirit of the times, I dunno.
For me, it's not the kind of album I'll listen to constantly, but when I'm in the mood, nothing else will suffice.

I wonder also if she ever has done more music along these same lines, it would be great to her more in a similar vein.

I wanted also to recommend another great-sounding obscure early eighties album called Offramp, by a guy named Pat Metheny. This doesn't really sound anything like The Magazine, but it is simply the most amazing instrumental jazz-type album I've ever heard. If anyone's ever heard Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, this album is its equal, though it is nothing like the music on that album either. I believe it similar to The Magazine though, at least in that for me it really fits in the same mold for the general vibe it gives me. Kind of like enlightened loneliness interspersed with uplifting harmony.

5 out of 5 stars Doesn't get better than this..........2005-02-10

This album, which I first heard when I was 15, like the other reviewers on this site, has been one that I always come back to. It is, in short, a masterpiece of poetic, jazzy, unforgettable and unpredictable composition, and for all that, it constantly guts you with it's intimacy. Like Steely Dan compositions, RLJ has a way of investing changes that are so unorthodox but so perfectly suited to her music, that the sounds are always fresh, even almost 20 years on. Runaround is my personal fav because no one can match Rickie on this type of funky, streetwise pop song, but I can't fault the first nine tracks on this CD at all. The playing on this record is incredible - you can feel the musicians using the space allowed them on these tracks with sheer joy and inventiveness, yet the whole thing hangs together with ruthless self discipline. The final enigmatic Rorschachs song cycle is a journey that may be too challenging for some, but is rewarding and passionate at a level that popular music very rarely reaches. This LP is probably my favourite album for Rickie Lee and that's really saying something.

5 out of 5 stars Sparkling, crystalline perfection........2004-07-04

This album along with Rickie's most recent release Evening of my Best Day are crowning achievements for one of America's most inspiring talents. She's been criminally underrated throughout her career, but anyone who has been exposed to her work will know the power and the presence she possesses. This is probably her most emotional release and definitely her most personal. Deep Space, Prelude to Gravity, Gravity, infact all of the cuts are great. Amazing production job and vocal delivery contribute to one of the best albums of the 80's. if not all time
Duchess of Coolsville: An Anthology
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • denlan
  • Surprisingly, a little disappointing
  • Beware of shorter version of "The Horses"
  • Coolsville is Cool
  • UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!
 Duchess of Coolsville: An Anthology
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
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Rhino RecordsRhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. [Deluxe Limited Edition --- includes 5.1 SACD version and 40 minute DVD of making the record]
  2. Songs of a Prairie Girl
  3. Rickie Lee Jones
  4. Pirates
  5. Magic Time

ASIN: B0009CTUS2
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

  1. A Tree On Allenford
  2. Alter Boy
  3. Beat Angels
  4. Bitchenostrophy
  5. Bye Bye Blackbird
  6. Chuck E's In Love
  7. Company
  8. Coolsville
  9. Cycles
  10. Firewalker
  11. Flying Cowboys
  12. Ghost Train
  13. Hey Bub
  14. It Must Be Love
  15. Living It Up
  16. Magazing
  17. On Saturday Afternoons in 1963
  18. Pirates (So Long Lonely Avenue)
  19. Sailor Song

Tracks:

  1. Satellites
  2. Scary Chinese Movie
  3. Skeletons
  4. Stewart's Coat
  5. Horses
  6. Last Chance Texaco
  7. Tigers
  8. Traces of the Western Slopes
  9. Ugly Man
  10. Up From the Skies
  11. Vessel of Light
  12. We Belong Together
  13. Weasel and the White Boys Cool
  14. Woody and Dutch On The Slow Train to Peking

Tracks:

  1. Sunshine Superman
  2. Makin' Whoopee! -- with Dr. John
  3. Autumn Leaves -- with Rob Wasserman
  4. Evening of My Best Day (Live)
  5. Atlas Marker (Aviator) (Live) -- with Bill Frisell
  6. Easter Parade -- with Blue Nile
  7. My Funny Valentine (Live)
  8. Young Blood (Demo)
  9. After Hours (Twelve Bars Past Goodnight) (Demo)
  10. Easy Money (Demo)
  11. Rodeo Girl (Demo)
  12. Satellites (Demo)
  13. Atlas Marker (Bruce Mix-Demo)
  14. Theme from Gravity (Demo)
  15. Rondo for 3 Apartments on 34th Street (Demo)

Amazon.com

Career overviews programmed by the artists themselves are generally inconsistent affairs, usually due to the musicians' own eccentricities. For Duchess of Coolsville, this long-overdue Rickie Lee Jones compilation covering the years 1979-2003, she decided to sequence most of the songs in alphabetical order. It's a unique, yet rather bizarre, concept that dispenses with all sense of continuity, either chronological or musical. While this randomness behooves an artist as willfully eclectic as Jones, it also makes for a rollercoaster listening experience. Selecting tracks from 10 albums that alternately focused on folk, jazz, pop standards, and even electronica makes putting together any compilation of Jones's work a tough assignment, especially since each of her records has a distinctive flow. The 34 selections on the first two discs hit most, but not all, of the highlights from her often patchy releases. Disc 3 unearths seven demos, some live tracks, and several collaborations, few of which are revelatory.

Long in need of a sonic shining, these songs sparkle with fresh remastering, revealing production details most listeners will hear for the first time. While not the best or most coherent collection of Rickie Lee Jones's work that could have been assembled, this anthology provides a reasonably good overview of the Duchess of Coolsville's diverse, distinctive, and often dynamic career. --Hal Horowitz

Album Description

Rickie Lee Jones' career ascent began after famed rock front man Lowell George recored her composition "Easy Money" for a Little Feat album. As an inimitable song stylist, she first made her indelible mark with the scat-flavored hist "Chuck E's In Love" from her acclaimed 1979 self-titled debut LP. Ever since, Jones has blazed an artististically idiosyncratic path on a long string of beautiful, adventurous, and personal albums. Her more-than-distinctive vocals encompass rock, jazz, blues, classic pop, folk, and R&B inflections...Textured with fluent wordplay and delivered with true heart, Rickie Lee's sound is one of the most authentic and original in contemporary music.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars denlan.......2007-02-13

It's a shame, I wonder sometimes how some no talented singers like Rickie Lee Jones managed to even sing somewhere and have a record company sign them. She's awful, no voice at all. I rated 1 star only because 0 star is not available on the scale.

4 out of 5 stars Surprisingly, a little disappointing.......2007-01-20

Technically, you could buy RLJ's first and second albums and you'd have the best of Rickie Lee Jones. Rickie Lee never again equalled the orchestrated hipster pop of the eponymously titled Rickie Lee Jones and her sophomore effort Pirates. There were flashes of such energy and brilliance elsewhere, but no other album was a sustained success from start to finish.

It was probably a wise business decision for Rhino records to attempt this collection instead of simply remastering those first two masterpiece albums. I don't consider it an artistic triumph, however.

On the plus side, Rhino has equalized or otherwise processed the original material so carefully that songs from different recording venues using different techniques of recording (digital and analog) sound now sound organically whole and integrated with each other. Mainly this involved cutting down a lot of the high frequency content of the originals, rendering Rickie Lee's voice less piercing, but also de-emphasizing the percussion and the brilliant overtones of the guitars. That's not an unreservedly good thing, but it works in the context of making an anthology album.

The alphabetical organization of the tracks does not really work, either. Normally such collections are laid out chronologically, and that probably would have been a better choice here, except that it would have made the falloff in the quality of RLJ's recordings more evident.

The bonus tracks, demos, and miscellaneous on disc three are interesting for the RLJ fan. I don't see them as having lasting replay value.

Listening to this set has lowered Rickie Lee Jones' art in my estimation. I already own most of her records in one format or another. But if this is supposed to RLJ's best, then one must admit that the best of albums like Magazine and Ghostyhead are a bit overrated. Rhino should just get on with remastering her first and second albums.

4 out of 5 stars Beware of shorter version of "The Horses".......2006-11-03

This is an awesome collection of Rickie Lee Jones' work. Of course there are some glaring omissions as other reviewers have pointed out. Still, I would have given this collection a full 5 stars if it had included the full version of "The Horses." Did anybody else notice that the version included on this anthology has been shortened? They have completely taken out the part of the song where Rickie sings "When I Was Young, I was a Wild, Wild One." It's true that she sings this line in the song "Flying Cowboys" as well and the full version of that song is included here. But, I always found it incredibly charming and cool that she sang the same line in "The Horses" and it is a shame that it has been edited out for this release. So, we still have to go back to our unremastered "Flying Cowboys" CD to hear "The Horses" as it was originally recorded.

4 out of 5 stars Coolsville is Cool.......2006-07-30

This album is a wonderfully eclectic collection of Rickie Lee's music from laid back chart toppers like Chuck E to the original rendition of classics like Bye Bye Blackbird. Should be in every Rickie Lee Jones fan's collection.

2 out of 5 stars UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!.......2006-06-16

When I heard these songs I felt that there was something missing for me. True, I am not a die-hard fan. It's a shame that Rickie Lee never had the opportunity to cut a jazz duet with Chet Baker. Or a pop duet with Bob Dylan. Their vocal styles would have mixed to perfection! However, all is not lost... hopefully she still has an opportunity to join her vocal skills with the talents of William Hung. You go girl.
Naked Songs
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Leave well enough alone
  • Living it up
  • a great, very original CD that rewards multiple listenings
  • uncovered
  • Rickie Lee Jones is an acquired taste. So I acquired
 Naked Songs
Rickie Lee Jones
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Traffic from Paradise
  2. Pirates
  3. It's Like This
  4. Flying Cowboys
  5. Pop Pop

ASIN: B000002MZU
Release Date: 1995-09-19

Tracks:

  1. The Horses
  2. Weasel And The White Boys Cool
  3. Altar Boy
  4. It Must Be Love
  5. Young Blood
  6. The Last Chance Texaco
  7. Skeletons
  8. Magazine
  9. Living It Up
  10. We Belong Together
  11. Coolsville
  12. Flying Cowboys
  13. Stewart's Coat
  14. Chuck E.'s In Love
  15. Autumn Leaves

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Leave well enough alone.......2006-06-16

Something was lost in this stripped down version of Rickie Lee Jones favorite songs. Most of the songs were better in their original version. Here they sound plaintive, with only a melancholy ring of their former selves. I suppose she was looking for something deeper, but she had already found it in The Magazine, a beautiful blend of heart felt songs that showed what a great songwriter she is.

4 out of 5 stars Living it up.......2005-10-09

This is a lady of considerable talent, as a unique lyricist, a musician, and fetching expressive vocalist. Ricki Lee Jones' lyrics always capture me with the puzzles she builds, casting her songs with odds and ends of the people in her life, and using slang and insider terms. The lyrics evoke thrown together parties in back street dumps, full of fun and consequences. Her voice has the cracky vulnerable sound of both seduction, hang-over, and mourning.

I gave the CD 4 because I actually like the full recordings with back-up musicians and back-up vocals, but here she collects her finest work and the lyrics come out of the speakers and grab you in this format.

"The Horses" remains one of her most beautiful compositions and makes a strong beginning to this CD. Much like her song "Magazine" the undertone of sadness is broken with a drifting catchy melody.

"It Must be Love" and "Young Blood" certainly come off diferently without all the background musicians supporting the efforts. These fast moving works, like "Living it Up", "We Belong Together", and "Chuck E's in Love", have such a casual live-and-let live lacidasical luster.

"The Last Chance Texaco" has some of the most powerful, clever and revealing lyrics Ricki has written. I found the lyrics to be jam-packed with double and triple meanings.

"Skeletons" remains such a tragic and sad piece of work. Like many of her songs, folks on the edge get by with little but hold together through it all by holding onto each other.

The CD is longer than most CDs as Ricki puts 15 of her best works in non-rushed style all in one package.

5 out of 5 stars a great, very original CD that rewards multiple listenings.......2004-01-13

Naked Songs was my very first experience with Rickie Lee Jones, having been highly recommended by a good friend a few weeks ago. I refrained from starting with the more logical choice of her first album "Rickie Lee Jones," as I suspected that that friend might give me that CD for Christmas (I was right). As a result, it is possibly that my rating is skewed because this is my first contact with R.L.J. and therefore I am rating her against all the other music I've heard, rather than against herself. I cannot speak to the quality of "Naked Songs" in comparison to her other work, but I will say "Naked Songs" is one of the best CDs I've ever heard.

As others have noted, at first I was put off by her voice. Initially, it seemed too loud and a little annoying, but the rhythm of "Young Blood" and the lyrics and melody of "Altar Boy" caught me, and I kept listening. It took a couple of times through the CD, but I have since fallen in love with CD. The more I listen to it, the more I fall in love with other songs that I used to be tempted to skip over and am now instead tempted to put on "repeat." Without a doubt, this is a CD that bears multiple listenings and grows rather than shallows the more you hear it, in my opinion the sign of true quality in a record. Most notably, the songwriting, in terms of both lyrics and music, is incredible throughout.

Rickie Lee Jones is an artist worth looking into. I'm sorry that so few people today seem to have even heard of her. I find myself wanting to make friends sit down and check this CD out. Hopefully you will give her music a chance as well.

4 out of 5 stars uncovered.......2002-05-13

i thought it was funny -that the one star review, the person from Maine, who said that they thought the musicians on this record hadn't practiced. that is probably true, seeing as it's a SOLO record, and there were no other musicians!
uh?
One of the things that are valuable about this recording is that you can hear traces of roots, and that's always fun. I hear little Curtis Mayfield in Youngblood. And the solo interpretation of Flying Cowboys, which was so great with the band, is very moving here on twelve string. all the emotion in the world springing up suddenly, and then the calm, odd, amazing voice just speaks the words. an uncomprimising spirit, this really is naked songs, and not just solo recordings.

4 out of 5 stars Rickie Lee Jones is an acquired taste. So I acquired.......2002-04-13

At first, her little-girl voice can be a bit off-putting--at least I used to think so. Jones herself once commented on the first time she ever heard her own recorded voice in a studio demo; "I sang 'Nights In White Satin' and when they played it back, it sounded like the young Michael Jackson singing 'Nights In White Satin'." But this live set shows that this lady has a gift for songwriting, as well as a gift for choosing offbeat but great cover material to do (such as the finale "Autumn Leaves"). On her "Pop Pop" effort, she does a killer version of the jazz classic "Dat Dere"--I suggest you look that disc up while you're on "dis here" site. But the blockbuster on this album is the gritty "Altar Boy". The one-woman/ one-guitar version of it here, sung in a hushed voice, focuses you more on the lyrics than its original on "Traffic From Paradise", where the scraping pizzicatto strings might tend to get in the way. And it's especially relevant today, given the boom in media coverage of sex abuse by clergy nowadays. So don't let first impressions of Jones fool you--this lady with the childish voice can sing and write with attitude. After all, Neil Young and Tom Waits both have technically horrible voices and look at their stuff. Listen to what she sings instead of how she sings it, and you're more than halfway there.

Music:

  1. Roll Up, Rock Back
  2. Simply the Best [Import]
  3. Sing Dylan
  4. Sleepwalking
  5. Solid As Rock/Live & Raw [Import]
  6. Somewhere Else, Pt. 2 [CD-single] [Import]
  7. Spirit Trail
  8. Su Nuevo Estilo
  9. Taxidermy [Import]
  10. The EP Collection Plus [Import]

Music

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