Album Notes

In Brief:
Expertly crafted songs with arrangements first sketched out as midi files then layered with acoustic overdubs, Back to Jerusalem is a diverse and stunning, close-to-pop collection that was named one of the "ten best folk releases of 2000" by Hugh Blumenfeld's about.folkmusic.com website. First and foremost a songwriter's record, Jones brings grace and conviction to each performance while setting each piece in a brilliant and uniquely produced soundscape.

Quote:
"For JP Jones the true lover is an incendiary radical and the faithful artist is a prophet standing against whoever or whatever enslaves the human spirit. Like Leonard Cohen's "The Future," "Back to Jerusalem" has an epic sweep both musically and lyrically, shot through with a satirical wit and unexpected tenderness. And though the poet's voice sometimes cracks, sometimes wavers, his vision never does. -- Hugh Blumenfeld, www.balladtree.com

Reviews:
Singer/songwriter JP Jones has always been Dylanesque, from his provocative lyrics to his warm, rough-hewn voice and offbeat inflections. The Dylan influence is particularly overt on Jones' latest, "Back to Jerusalem," a gorgeously produced(by Jones), richly orchestrate4d CD that calls to mind the former Mr. Zimmerman's "Christian phase" classics "Slow Train Running"[sic] and "Infidels." Not that Jones-- a former Voluntown resident now based in Newport, RI-- is any sort of Dylan tribute act. He's a remarkably gifted artist in his own right whose ambitious folk-pop tunes manage to explore a wide range of themes and incorporate an equally diverse array of musical styles. This is a record full of surprising flourishes, tinkling pianos and weepy violins where you don't expect them, gospel-flavored background vocals, electric guitar licks and horn riffs that pop in and out of nowhere. Through it all though, there is that Dylanesque air, starting with the album's title track, whose galloping rhythm and dramatic chorus build-up call to mind another Dylan, Jakob, and his Wallflower's hit "One Headlight."

Artist's Perspective
On "Already Been Thru It," a south of the border flavored number with a little Tijuana brass section, Jones speaks eloquently from the perspective of an artist who's learned to seek and find satisfaction in creative achievement rather than commercial success. Jones' lyrics here are often wise, but never smug. He has the perspective of a mature poet, but hasn't lost the playfulness or occasional bitterness of a young one, as on the biting ballad, "Getting Your Way," in which he sarcastically wishes an ex-girlfriend well:
"Your heart is a desert
you whore with your head
you couldn't make love
with a saint in your bed
you're three-quarters dead
but don't let it get in the way
Good luck with the wedding
I'm glad that you're getting your way"

"Aint That Love" with its moody Mark Knopfler-like guitar-riff, sounds like it could be a lost track from "Infidels," while "Works for Me" recalls Dylan's "Man of Peace" and Clapton's "Lay Down Sally." Jones gets down to his folk roots on "As If," a straight acoustic number showcasing some pretty string plucking, and closes strong with the thoughtful mid-tempo pop number, "Fancy Guy."

A child of the 60's, Jones released his first album in 1973. "Back to Jerusalem" is his sixth release since founding his own record label, Vision Company, in 1991.
© Ken Stroebel, The Norwich Bulletin

Other On-Line Reviews:
http://www.indie-music.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=300
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:nyevad3ki8wo

Info:Lyrics: www.jpjones.net