Search - Howard Jones :: Perform 01

Like fine wine Howard improves with age!

Jonathan P Moore | Grenada, MS United States | 10/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Howard Jones has always been to my mind a musician's musician. From the very first release back in 83, his music has had a freshness about it. At the same time he has kept pace with technology much in the same vein as people like Thomas Dolby. This long awaited U.S. version of "perform 00" skillfully retitled "perform 01" (WOW!)is a bona fide bargain and surely the best Howard has ever sounded! The re-worked versions of old favorites like "no one is to blame" for example have breathed new life into always classy songs. A good song is a good song from no matter what era it originated. Howard proves to me that he has written some excellent songs over his career. His band, featuring the late Kevin Wilkinson on drums and the stella guitarist Robin Blount and the always inventive and groovalicious Nick Beggs on bass and chapman stick, as well as a tight horn section, give every track a consistent yet fresh appeal. "hide and seek" is a ten minute sonic marvel as it wraps around the listener.The new(er)material sounds wonderful led by the atmospheric duet with Duncan Sheik "someone you need". Every track sparkles and Jones is not content to stop there....his latest concerts have moved into a more progressive house influence incorporating Robbie Bronniman and Shaz Sparks of dba. Buy this gem share it with your friends and enjoy often ....just like a fine wine!"

Beware -- this is the same album as perform.00

Music Fan Jeff | San Francisco, CA United States | 09/04/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I'm sure that true Howard Jones fans will have already purchased the import Perform.00 album. Well, this is the EXACT same album with a different title. While I like the album somewhat (see my review of Perform.00), I think it's misleading to release the same album with a different name."

Perhaps it was better live...

Andrew Rothman | Cleveland, OH USA | 01/25/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The liner notes state that this album was basically a recording of the band and arrangements created for a tour, with the disc being something of an afterthought. It sounds that way. The material is sparkling, as always, and a nice blend of 'greatest hits' and new material from one of the best pop songwriters around. Unfortunately the arrangements and production quality don't hold up to the source.



The band is very tight, but the arrangements sound like they were intended for a live concert crowd, with plenty of "extended breakdowns", solos, and groove sections. These sorts of things are great for pumping up an audience, but fall a little flat on a CD.



The production of the recording, whether Mr. Jones intended it as such or not, almost makes it unlistenable. Compression is applied as an effect where it seems out of place, and the whole album is bathed in "look what I can do!" style delays and reverbs, which cause some of the tracks to be extremely muddy. Vocals get buried under their own echoes, organs playing the backing chords drown out guitars playing the leads, and the late Kevin Wilkinson's final, strong drum tracks are either mashed into your ear or made to sound like they're coming from a cavern. The album has no 'overall sound' to it... each track displays moments of clarity followed by sonic atrocities.



There are a few gems on the disc, but for the most part it seems a little haphazard and homemade compared to the artist's prior catalog. A good buy for the diehards, but others might be better off waiting for the next tour."