Balm in Gilead [CD]

Some things are so perfectly formed that not one thing could
be added or taken away to make it even the tiniest bit better.

Rickie Lee Jones' new album 'Balm In Gilead' is one such thing.

I have to pinch myself to believe that it is thirty years since I
purchased her debut album. Another perfect and unforgettable wonder.

This new collection of ten compositions stands resolutely shoulder
to shoulder with the very best of her work.

Ms Jones' voice still possesses a fragile warmth and the ability to
communicate complex and honest emotion like no other.
Magical and instantly recognisable.

She has, as always, surrounded herself with a sympathetic and hugely
gifted group of musicians and co-performers to bring this wonderful
music to life. Everyone gives their love and their best work to the project.

Things open beautifully with 'Wild Girl', a twenty-first birthday gift
to her daughter. It is a tender and affectionate song full of pride and
just a little sadness....the sadness of watching our young ones grow,
stretch their wings and fly over and beyond us. Beautiful.

'Old Enough' is a loose-limbed and lovely duet with Ben Harper.
The song, co-written with David Kalish, is a laid-back model of
all that we have come to know and love about Ms Jones.
Tom Evans' Sax and Brian Swartz's Trumpet deliver perfectly judged accents.

The lilting country ballad 'Remember Me' is simply gorgeous.
Alison Krauss's violin and Joel Guzman's accordion add warmth and grace
to a consummately executed vocal performance.

'The Moon Is Made Of Gold' is a lullaby written for Ms Jones by her
Father Richard Loris Jones when she was a child.
Memory is brought to life again here with delightful simplicity.
It is a touching and heart-warming experience.

The shifting harmonies and simple folk melody of 'His Jeweled Floor'
is one of the most affecting songs that Ms Jones has created
in her long career. The dream-like atmosphere is intoxicating.

'Eucalyptus Trail' takes time to make its mark. The subtle and elusive
melody and wistfully surreal lyrics evolve into a strange soulful anthem.
One of the album's many highlights.

'The Blue Ghazel' is a limber, jazzy instrumental blessed with some fine
guitar playing from Ms Jones, Joel Guzman's chirruping Hammond organ
and Paulie Cerra's slinky saxophone.

'The Gospel Of Carlos, Norman and Smith' (another number co-written
with Mr Kalish) brings Chris Joyner and RLJ together in a song with an
honest vision and a big soul. The gospel according to Ms Jones.

'Bonfires' (stripped down and laser-sharp) and 'Bayless St'
(bursting with nostalgia and vivid emotion) bring this quite
remarkable album to an uplifting and deeply moving close.

This is music for the lost, the lonely and for those who live with hope in their hearts.

Transcendentally beautiful.

Essential.

Rickie Lee Jones 14th album, the largely self-produced "Balm in Gilead", appears about thirty years after her eponymous debut. As a singer-songwriter, she has always followed her own muse, sustaining a career thanks to her musical and lyrical originality.

Although the nineties were not a very auspicious period for Jones, "The Evening of My Best Day" (2003) marked a musical renaissance. Jones's many artistic resources combine to make this new album one of the best of her varied output.

Her voice is in great form throughout, the instrumentation is distinctive, the arrangements are eclectic and appealing and the lyrics are, as usual, quite interesting. Yet the mood here is more laid back than on previous recordings. Intimacy and warmth are abundant here and prove well in line with the lyrics's contents.

This album includes songs composed over an extended period of time. Some were written recently but quite a few, although finished recently, started out a long time ago.

The opening track, "Wild girl", for example, is a reflection on her own "free spirit" that ended up being about her daughter. The song was started before "Flying Cowboys", her Walter Becker produced album from 1989, and took all these years to finish.

"Old Enough" features Ben Harper on vocal and tells the tale of a shattered romance. The tunes soulful edge owes a lot to Jones' own horn arrangement.

"Remember Me", a weeper about a now distant lover, has obvious country leanings. The tune works very well and is nicely enhanced by Allison Krauss (fiddle) and Vic Chestnutt (backing vocal).

"His Jewelled Floor" is very atmospheric. Hymnal aspects are set in some kind of "new age" influenced setting. Victoria Williams and Vic Chesnutt are heard on backing vocals. The sound of Jones bowed bass is particularly striking. She plays most of the instrumental parts on this track.

Jones uses a jazzy setting to perform "The Moon Is Made of Gold", a lullaby that was written for her in 1954 by her late father. This track displays her most charming vocal performance and is a true highlight of the album.

"Blue Gazhell" is an instrumental featuring Jones mostly on electric guitar. The reeds parts are also very striking.

"Eucalyptus Tree" has an attractive melody but lets me pondering the lyrics for the moment.

"The Gospel of Carlos, Norman and Smith" is, basically, a stance against hypocrisy. Lead vocals are shared with Chris Joyner.

"Bonfires" evokes a fairly recent heartbreak. All Jones could do was to "write a song... it saved my life". The poignant lyrics are infused with deep sorrow set against another quiet, pretty melody.

The CD ends with "A House on Bayless Street" which, again, brings together elements of country and bluegrass to back Jones' reminiscence of a place from, presumably, her past.

Long-time musical collaborator and multi-instrumentalist David Kalish co-wrote three tracks and also acts as Jones' co-producer.

This CD reveals new facets at each successive listen. The recording displays good clarity and a nice open sound. Jones' voice, in particular, is nicely captured. The overall sound is characterized by rich aural textures.

This album is quite easy to get into. Rickie Lee Jones' long-time fans will be delighted. Open-minded "newcomers" who may not have been following her career very closely may be seduced too.

I am a recent convert to Rickie Lee Jones. In my head I had previously filed her under the same category as all those other Americans like Bruce Springsteen, who ar just culturally alien to me. This was based entirely on my prejudice against American blue collar rock and country. I am not anti-American, I love jazz and blues and a whole range of other American rock bands but country and its close rock cousins is the only music I tend to dismiss out of hand; even her I have moved a bit.

My position on Ms Jones was further reinforced by and old colleague, who raves about loads of music I hate, endorsing her; proof positive I thought. Then I heard her debut album recently and looked into her history again, the follow up, Pirate, is just fantastic! Balm in Gilead is way up there near her best work. 30 years after her debut she can still cut it. There is no fading with age, her voice is still a pretty powerful instrument and the songs are good too!

If you have ever been a fan and wonder if this is worth checking out then wonder no more buy it!