Jewels For Sophia

Rolling Stone (9/2/99, p.112) - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5) - "...[Hitchcock] rocks more fervently than he has on any solo release since the early Eighties....[JEWELS] proves that he doesn't need audacious wordplay to write a memorable song....It's the sound of Hitchcock mastering a new emotional language: sincerity." Spin (10/99, p.153) - 8 out of 10 - "...offers 12 such exuberant sing-alongs, some of which dwell on mortal decay....Reconciled with life's inevitable disaster, [Hitchcock's] determined to have a grand time until his expiration is up." Entertainment Weekly (7/23/99, p.69) - "...alternating oddball pastoralism with shagg-blues-rock....As he ponders love, hate, aging, and memory, it's tough to mistake Hitchcock's absurdity for mere comedy: Even the song praising cheese is poignant." - Rating: B+ Q (10/99, p.120) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...seemingly personal tunes...rub shoulders with songs whose lyrics couldn't be fathomed by men in diving suits....Contains two hilarious hidden tracks other songwriters would kill for." Alternative Press (10/99, p.95) - 4 out of 5 - "...a great record, maybe Hitchcock's best in a decade. The feel is loose but never sloppy; rough but never ragged....still utterly crazy after all these years, and still loving every moment of it. And so should you." CMJ (7/19/99, p.3) - "...[JEWELS] is filled with so many twisted lyrical and musical nuances that attempting to understand Hitchcock's riotous lunacy is futile - it's also the best part of the ride..." Mojo (Publisher) (10/99, p.125) - "...Throughout a sensitively produced, ceaselessly inventive album Hitchcock balances the stings, the honey and the bumbling comedy of life and love....Maybe his best set yet."