Rickie Lee Jones - The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard

A Christ-like concept with astonishing results

Never the most prolific writer, on only her second album of selfpenned material in the last decade, Jones has come up with a true classic. The 13 songs on Sermon are based on the words of Jesus Christ, applied to a modernday culture and environment. A reimagined gospel for the 21st Century, if you will.

But this is no vanity exercise in po-faced proselytising. Jones takes mighty leaps of form (rather than faith) to put a new spin on Biblical teachings, dressed up in a sonic adventurousness that recalls the most ambitious work of her old boyfriend Tom Waits, Mary Margaret O’Hara and, in places, even Bj�rk. There’s no soap-box preaching or happy-clapping in evidence, nor does the singer claim to necessarily agree with the thoughts and attitudes she’s passing on. In her own words, Jones tried to put herself into the “skin of Christ” in an attempt to project his wisdom onto today’s world, much in the manner of updated period productions of Shakespeare plays.

The more blinkered members of society may scream ‘Sacrilege!’, but all artworks, historical documents and religious texts are open to interpretation. This record is bound to spark debate. It’s also one of the boldest musical statements you’ll hear all year.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

New West | NW 6108

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
<< Back to Issue 335

Login Here

Free Newsletter


Subscribe to
our email newsletter by emailing:

anna.bowen@
metropolis.co.uk