n intimate glimpse into an evening with Rickie Lee Jones, NAKED SONGS spotlights her talents as a singer, songwriter and musician, baring her songs in front of an adoring and appreciative audience. The concept is refreshing: just vocals and guitar or piano, with Rob Wasserman on bass for the last two tunes. And it is very revealing. It's not as if Jones' gifts were ever suffocated by fancy arrangements or obscured by production, but hearing these songs undressed of extra accompaniment and frill reaffirms their artistic strength--and her musical beauty.
Admittedly, one of the attractions to Rickie Lee Jones has been the charm and economy of her arrangements. She accompanies herself with just the right--yet not the most expected--instrumentation, always appropriate to the essence of song or story. NAKED SONGS emphasises this gift of excellent taste. Each track reveals her talent as a songstress. Her voice ranges from a high, lilting slur--softly and sweetly imparting poignant lyrics through a memorable melody, with a melancholy smile--to an acerbic force contorting its way around the obstacle of what it has to say. As for the accompaniment, Jones can treat her guitar with subtle tenderness ("Flying Cowboys"), use it to provide a gentle prodding motion ("Young Blood"), keep it rhythmic and busy ("Weasel And The White Boys Cool"), or make it strong and loud (the bridge of "It Must Be Love"). On some songs she plays piano, using it effectively as minimal support on "Coolsville". Whatever the means, the end is always a good song, painted with care, beautiful in its naked simplicity.|

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