An eight year absence for a relatively new band is often the kiss of death. During that time, their fans have moved on to another group and the entire music industry landscape has changed. And for a renegade British band like Jesus Jones trying to maintain their foothold in an
increasingly fickle country like America, the odds of success after such a long duration between albums are minimal at best. So it is no surprise that their former major label EMI would take a pass at releasing their 2001 release, "London".

A listen to the first track “Message” lets the listener know that this could very well be their mother’s Jesus Jones! Stripped of their trademark synths, this opener is more rock-oriented in vein. It is still friendly to the pop fan’s ear, though a Jesus Jones fan would most surely be questioning this new choice in musical direction. If anything, the expectation would have been for
them to take on techno and electronica. But like their controversial moniker, Jesus Jones has a penchant for the unpredictable.

The second track “Stranger” is more reminiscent of their glory days, though it still lacks the punch that made “Right Here Right Now” and “The Devil You Know” so relevant. “The Rocket Ships of La Jolla” moves along nicely, even if its lyrics are somewhat awkward and pretentious. The same cannot be said about the perfectly haunting “Asleep on the Motorway”. It seems that
this time around, Jesus Jones has mastered the art of the ballad. You would be hard pressed to find any memorable slow songs on any of their earlier works. The other ballad on this album with its pricelessly precious title is “The Princess of My Heart”. As the best song on "London", this puts the whole album over the top and gives Jesus Jones another four star rating in their catalog.

“Half Up the Hill” is the only hard-edged tune for the punkers to sink their chops into on London. It is what would happen if The Beta Band hooked up with Nine Inch Nails, which actually could be good for both. Just when you think Jesus Jones might go full throttle (as they
did on 1993's “Idiot Stare”) they pull back and tease us. So delightfully British of them. None of the songs on London are weak, but they arguably are not as apt to make as striking an impression this time out. In fact, the one song that doesn’t quite measure up the rest, “Getaway Car” fails due to its uneven, slapdash production. Banjo and beats just don’t fit together, fellas.

As most transitional albums go, this album probably won’t find an audience and will quickly fade into the scenery. "London" is a very curious mix, though it lacks clarity of intent. It is a shockingly laid back affair and does not have a distinct theme present. Still, the hooks are still there (witness “In the Face of All of This” and “To Get There”) and Mike Edwards’ voice has never sounded stronger. You can actually understand what he is singing too, so that is definitely a plus in their favor. What will be even more interesting is to see what style classification they eventually settle into in the future - will they move even more into a mainstream rock area and get
further away from their alternative roots? Or will they lose their focus altogether and call it quits before things get even more disjointed? One thing is for sure: Either way, "London" wouldn’t be

such a bad note to end their careers on.





Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: At Work