I totally agree.
New Rickie Lee Jones CD
I just finished listening, (twice) to the new Rickie Lee Jones CD "Balm in Gilead" and it is quite impressive.
Even though this is a wonderfully smooth, intimate recording, on my system, it throws a wide and deep soundstage when called upon. The recording is clean with excellent placement of vocals and instruments within the soundstage.
Rickie Lee is helped on this album by guests Allison Krauss, Ben Harper, Victoria Williams, Bill Frisell, Jon Brion and Vic Chestnut. Listen to "Old Enough" with Ben Harper or "Remember Me" with Allison Krauss and Vic Chestnut. She also does a song from long ago, written by her father Richard L. Jones called "The Moon Is Made Of Gold" that is just mesmerizing.
Her voice seems stronger on this album, than on the last few that she has done. She has always been known to sing some pretty obscure and "different" kind of material, but the songs here are down to earth and organic.
This is one album to just sit back, take the music in, let it flow through you and soak it up. It really is very breathtakingly real and vivid.
I consider this release one her best to date and ranks right up there with her first, (Rickie Lee Jones).
Even though this is a wonderfully smooth, intimate recording, on my system, it throws a wide and deep soundstage when called upon. The recording is clean with excellent placement of vocals and instruments within the soundstage.
Rickie Lee is helped on this album by guests Allison Krauss, Ben Harper, Victoria Williams, Bill Frisell, Jon Brion and Vic Chestnut. Listen to "Old Enough" with Ben Harper or "Remember Me" with Allison Krauss and Vic Chestnut. She also does a song from long ago, written by her father Richard L. Jones called "The Moon Is Made Of Gold" that is just mesmerizing.
Her voice seems stronger on this album, than on the last few that she has done. She has always been known to sing some pretty obscure and "different" kind of material, but the songs here are down to earth and organic.
This is one album to just sit back, take the music in, let it flow through you and soak it up. It really is very breathtakingly real and vivid.
I consider this release one her best to date and ranks right up there with her first, (Rickie Lee Jones).
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Hey thanks for the tip. I'm a big RLJ fan - I've seen her a few times in concert, the last one an acoustic concert (much like "Naked Songs"). Great stuff. Good to hear the latest effort is worth seeking out. I really didn't connect with her previous effort, "Sermon on Exposition Blvd.", which seemed rather rambling and disjointed. She also does a song from long ago, written by her father Richard L. Jones called "The Moon Is Made Of Gold" that is just mesmerizing. I didn't know her father wrote that. She does a great version of that song on the wonderful album, "Duets", accompanied by Rob Wasserman (whose album this is). There's a bunch of great stuff on that album too, but I think it is out of print right now. |
Balm of Gilead is indeed another superb effort reminiscent of her self titled album to me. Amazing sonics also for a redbook cd. I also look forward to a release on Vinyl at some point. Maybe MoFi as well! Along with this new cd..I picked up one of her earlier albums "Magazine" and liked that very much. |