Rickie Lee Jones - The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard Album Review

Rickie Lee Jones
The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard
Album Review

Even being extremely lenient, it would be hard to claim that Rickie Lee Jones has done much that's essential since Flying Cowboys in 1989 (and possibly even her 1979 self-titled debut). However, The Sermon is a remarkable piece of work. In 2005, Jones was invited to take part in her friend Lee Cantelon's music version of his book The Words, a modern re-working of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jones instead chose to improvise a vocal and lyric, and here we are.

Clearly enjoying the framework around which to improvise, Jones here adopts a raw, direct sound and a confessional style, over some wonderfully hypnotic melodies. It's not perfect - the material seems too much for her on songs such as Lamp Of the Body and Donkey Ride, but It Hurts, Falling Up and 7th Day more than make up. Circle in the Sand was recorded for the soundtrack to the film Friends With Money and is the poppiest she has been in a long time. The subject matter doesn't immediately suggest accessibility, but this is a very strong return to Flying Cowboys form.

Rating 7/10

Mike Rea

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RLJ sermon ( 1)

posted on 05/03/2007 02:56

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I think the reviews coming in about the record and the performances are incredible. This is not seven out of ten. and frankly i disagree with this reveiw of the work and the artist. Rickie Lee JOnes is one of the most important, vibrant women in popular music, period. She had consistantly followed her own muse, and her vocal style is the singluarly most imitated style in popular music today. She is stunning, emotionally honest, and nothing like her live goes on today in music. She is so versitile that audiences simply don't bother to keep up with her, but it is not for her lack of work - this review shows how little this man knows her work. 1995'2 Ghostyhead is one of the most important songwriter cd's ever, and only now is it starting to be recognized, much like 'bitches brew' which seemed to take 25 years before anyone began to want to listen to it's beautiful noise. people who only like pop songs may not think she did important music, but people who like music know she has helped forge the way, from defying genres both in marketing of music and in marketing of women, and in keeping the banner high, in her stunning voice and her odd and true persona. this is a 10, or nine out of ten, it is a Great CD from a GREAT artist, so how could it be less?