Rickie Lee Jones "Pop Pop" - A Review
Alan J.Stein
that perhaps I'd done it some injustice in a previous posting. Hence this
review:
When she released "Flying Cowboys" a couple of years ago, Rickie Lee Jones
was venturing off into many directions simultaneously. The only hint of what
was to come next came in the song "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'". Her
new disc, "Pop Pop", is a collection of songs which I suspect she has always
loved and wanted to record. Ranging from childrens' songs to show tunes to 60's
ballads, they form an interesting set of ingredients. Some work wonderfully;
others don't.
Rickie Lee, posing for one of the liner photos in classic 50's torch-song
style, negotiates "My One And Only Love" enthusiastically, yet somehow not
emotionally. One feels she is perhaps intimidated by singing a classic
'standard'. Robben Ford works hard to fill the harmonic space left open by
Charlie Haden's sparse bass lines. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" is
better - Rickie is more comfortable, but somehow, Ford and Haden don't jell,
and the song plods a bit. Lacking is a dominant rhythmic anchor to propel the
song - Jaco's fretless slides would have done wonders here. On "Hi Lili, Hi
Lo", Rickie finally allows herself some trademark vocal inflections, which were
sadly missing on the first two tracks. However, the bandoneon (accordian-like)
solo isn't, well, for everyone. Robben Ford's nylon-string comping on these
three tracks (and the rest of the disc) is simply elegant.
The monotony of three consecutive ballads is broken with Hendrix' "Up From The
Skies". Rickie *goes* for it on this track, and John Leftwich (bass) helps,
taking a more active role than Haden. A truly joyous rendition. The euphoria
is short-lived, however, as "Second Time Around" is done with little feeling.
Wonderful bass, however, and RLJ picks it up and the end. "Dat Dere" is the
killer track on this half. It really benefits from the added instrumentation of
Joe Henderson (sax) and a percussionist. Finally, some RLJ 'Scatting',
reminiscent of "Woody & Dutch..." You'll be snappen dem fingahs on dis toon
[sic].
"I'll Be Seeing You" is one of RLJ's "small cafe" nostalgic ethnic (Italian?)
style songs. It works, but jazz it ain't. Shlock it ain't, either, but it gets
*awful* close...The only failing of "Bye Bye Blackbird" is that it's so short.
Henderson runs circles with his sax; his lines perfectly frame RLJ's vocal.
But "The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men" is a miss, although I suppose if you like
RLJ and this song, you'll be pleased.
"I Won't Grow Up" gives a glimpse of what this disc could have been. It's
loose, spirited, animated, inspired. You'll like this one even if you *hate*
the song! "Love Junkyard" is the most familiar-sounding tune here. It's
classic Rickie; strains of "It Must Be Love" and "Rodeo Girl", with a great
arrangement - I wouldn't be surprised to catch this on a "classic hits" radio
station soon. "Comin' Back To Me" closes the disc - this is beatnik poetry,
barely set to music. Uneven, unbalanced, a disturbing closer, it sounds more
like Suzanne Vega, and just doesn't fit the mood of the other songs. Strange,
but strange is what you often get from Rickie Lee Jones.
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Alan J.Stein MIT/Lincoln Laboratory al...@ll.mit.edu