Rickie Lee Jones • Rickie Lee Jones
Warner Brothers Records RHI1 306108
33-RPM 180g LP
One of the staples of some of the audio gear reviews I used to read—written, if my memory serves me, by the one and only Ken Kessler—in the early 1980s (when my interest in high-end audio first started) was the track Easy Money, from Rickie Lee Jones’ eponymous debut LP. Curiosity piqued, I bought a copy—and loved it. Now, about three decades later, Warner has reissued a remastered version of this venerable old classic.
The music is as great as ever, my favourite tracks including Chuck E.’s in Love, Young Blood, the previously mentioned Easy Money, and The Last Chance Texaco. Some audiophiles are (rightly) chastised for listening to sonic spectaculars whose musical selections are, shall we say, somewhat wanting. Fortunately that isn’t the case here: as well as having great music (although granted, musical tastes are personal), the sound quality doesn’t disappoint. Bass is deep and well-defined, and the treble is clean. Cymbals don’t sound splashy, which is always a good sign! Left-to-right imaging is good, but the sound is relatively two-dimensional.
Comparing the reissue to my original copy, sibilants are slightly more pronounced on the latter, and the bass is a touch warmer on the former. So yes, the reissue is an improvement—albeit a relatively small one—over the original pressing. Another advantage of the reissue is that it features better packaging, using thicker cardboard for the outer sleeve. Based on this (and the great music and sound quality), recommending Rickie Lee Jones is a no-brainer!