Pirates

The CD is great and in excellent condition and arrived swiftly

Most say this is the best effort from a very special star. After reading her new autobiography "Last Chance Texaco" some songs take on a new, deeper more relevant personal meaning to me. You can call her 'The Duchess of Coolsville' if you want but I feel like she defies all category. Treat yourself if you are new to her, flesh out your collection if you're a fan.

Ricky Lee Jones has some very nice music in this "Pirates" collection. If you 'feel RL Jones" you should listen to this. The impact is such that I felt the need & revised "own this" to "listen to this". I'm listening as I review this. The "We belong together" & "Woody and Dutch" 'bump' me. Another collection I "feel" is simply titled "Ricky Lee Jones". Ms. RL Jones has a street savvy, that is so deliciously presented that my thoughts wander to 'roaming a hustle' in any 'hard luck' section of "anywhere" USA . These contributions in music give pause to my own assigned life priorities. I listen & feel the emotion Ms. Jones so generously shares. Ms. Jones presents a depth of life through her lyrics that most of us will never experience. Her music presents, while voicing despairs, is eloquent in that it has me longing for better things for her as well as for others, including myself. I consider this "IMPACT" music. Thank you for your meaningful contributions in music. Ms RL Jones.

I have to admit, after putting this one on and settling back, after track 3 I thought "what a dud." For a Mobile Fidelity Original Master recording, it sounded like the first three tracks were really being held back for some reason. Then track four took over and wham--the greatness started. Ricki Lee Jones is one of those singers that makes you wonder "how does she do that?" She is so clear with her wording, masterfully knowing how to enunciate along with the music that seems to use few instruments yet bringing that right balance to the songs. I hesitated for weeks on whether to buy this but after listening to it several times, Mobile Fidelity did one heck of a job with this like so many other recordings. If you are a Ricki Lee fan this is a must-have. Crank it up and let the neighbors also enjoy. SACD is one heck of a medium for any type of music, too bad record companies don't release a duel-disc for all new releases, if they kept the price the same as it is now, more people would be buying rather than downloading compressed music files. Ricki doesn't deserve to be compressed. One heck of a SACD!

This was a pleasant surprise to hear. I never heard this cd before buying it on SACD and I wasn't disappointed. It is a pleasure from beginning to end and a world unto itself in terms of sound and concept. It's a combination of jazz, pop, folk and beatnik elements that is written with a sweetness/meets/streetwise savvy that is captivating from first listen and gets better and better with each subsequent listen. I wish that someone would go and remaster her eponymous debut in SACD, but it's been years since this one and no news on the debut. Anyone that likes cerebral, artsy music should try this out. It's fun, melancholy, heady and catchy all rolled into one.The SACD is superb in quality; as good as they come.

I can't speak about the SACD portion of the Mobile Fidelity Pirates, but the regular CD is my dream come true about how this album is meant to sound. Pirateshas soft lows and then thunderous drums and back again, and these low-high transitions I remember so well from the LP were not handled well on the original CD. On this release everything sounds just right to me. The softer parts weave their spell, the drums have impact again, the piano sounds wonderful, the bass on Woody And Dutch throbs just perfectly, RLJ's enchanting voice is captured wonderfully. As for the album itself, I consider it Rickie Lee's Astral Weeks or What's Going On - a mystical powerful unconventional song cycle where the songs and the playing fell into place just perfectly and could not be repeated again. All 3 of equally worth it for more expensive better sounding editions.

Great music. Almost 70 years old and it brought back many memories. Such a talented lady... love Rickie Lee Jones music!

To me, this is just as good as her album with "Chuck E's In Love" on it. Maybe better. She's got a terrific range in her voice and she's not afraid to use it. Her lyrics are poetic and revealing (but you may have to download them from her website, 'cause they're kind of hard to understand ala Tom Waits and Bob Dylan). She's more interested in the timing and rhythm of her songs than actually being understood. Looking up the lyrics is worth it. Believe me. She's not afraid to stretch and try new styles -- or borrow from bands like Steeley Dan and Chicago. I can't think of a song on this work that I don't like. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I first discovered "Pirates" over 20 years ago. At the time, it sounded like nothing else I'd ever heard - achingly beautiful songs of loss and longing, in one of the most unique voices in music. As a student, I spent countless evenings sitting with it turned up loud in a darkened room. Since then I've explored all the rest of Rickie Lee Jones' catalogue, and while she has recorded other excellent pieces of music, "Pirates" is the high point of her career by miles.When I saw that this was available on SACD, I didn't hesitate to order it. This is the only stereo SACD I own - everything else I have bought to hear surround mixes, but with this, I wanted to hear just how good "Pirates" could sound. And I wasn't disappointed...The normal CD doesn't sound bad, but the SACD is noticeably better - the bass and vocals, in particular, are much clearer. Bear in mind I've listened to this album hundreds, if not thousands of times, over the last 20 years, and yet on the first playback of the SACD, I noticed I'd been mishearing a lyric for all that time - the SACD really brings Ricki Lee's voice into the room with you.If you've never heard "Pirates", buy the CD immediately! If you already know and love it, and have a decent system with an SACD player, this version is well worth the money.

I first heard this in 1982 and was instantly captured from the very opening bars of the first track. Listening to this album is an experience that should savoured, and repeated on a regular basis. I have perhaps five or six albums in my 50 years of life that I know I will never tire of hearing. This is very much one of those. Each track is beautiful in its own right, but listening to the whole album creates an experience of more than the sum of its parts. You will be drawn in by the music, lyrics, and Rickie Lee's voice, to a world of joy, sadness, melancholy, and sheer beauty, the likes of which will never be matched.I was not a particular fan of Rickie Lee Jones before I heard this album. Like most people I was only familiar with Chuck E's in Love. That's why everyone should listen to this albu!m once in their life.....beauty like this should be shared!!!

I don't know how many CDs I have, somewhere between one and two thousand I guess. Being a nerd, I often rate them track by track in my media player. Only three times have I rated every track on an album at five stars, Blue Valentine and Nighthawks at the Diner by Tom Waits, and this one. Oddly, back in the 70's, Tom Waits and RLJ were an item, so there's a thing.Her eponymous first album was also stunning, and contains two songs that will break your heart, 'Last Chance Texaco', and 'Coolsville'. My biggest regret is missing an opportunity to see Rickie live in Birmingham a couple of years back. I found out the day after the gig.In music, all is subjective, but in my opinion, whether you consider the songs or the performance, this is a totally brilliant record.

If you like Rickie Lee Jones you have this, or, had it like me on either vinyl or cassette. If you've never heard of her or even think she was a one-hit wonder (and yes we know it was Chuck E Weiss!) then you're missing out! Y'know these times when you're just driving home at night or settling down with low lights and your favourite tipple,well you'd be doing yourself a good turn having the likes of this as your soundtrack! Who said pirate CDs were dodgy!

Hauntingly beautiful,Rickie Lee Jones at her best. Beautiful voice,fabulous lyrics. Enchanting.I first bought the tape years and years ago. Of course,as the years go by I had forgottn how much I loved this album as tapes went out of fashion. Found it again on cd and so pleased I can now hear it again.