Live At the Marquee

Album Review

Of all the grebo bands, it was Jesus Jones that hit hardest in America, with the band slamming two singles into the U.S. Top Five in 1991. That success allowed them to hang on longer than their colleagues, until their label gave all but singer Mike Edwards the boot in 1997. A few more fruitless years passed before the band were resurrected in 2001. Live at the Marquee catches up with the group late the following year, 1998, on-stage at London's Marquee club. There, they ecstatically slam through a 25-song, 95-minute set that encompasses their entire career, including their controversial 2001 number, "In the Face of All of This," a sharp commentary on the current state of the world. It's not just Jesus Jones' short haircuts, however, that signify the times have changed; their sound has shifted significantly as well. Gone is the jubilant bounce of old, replaced by a much harder rock edge. It's particularly noticeable on both their smash "Right Here, Right Now," which originally boasted a majestic sweep, but here is surprisingly sparse, and the previously effervescent "Real Real Real," now sporting a decided heft. Even if the band's lighter touch is gone, the battering beats and funky bass lines are still predominant, giving even the rockingest numbers a dance flare. "Nowhere Slow" kicks into high speed, "Trust Me" is ferocious, and when they reach the grand finale, "Idiot Stare," Jesus Jones go out in an incendiary blaze. Extras include backstage footage, a totally useless bio, but extensive band interviews that fill in all the gaps. The grebos are back with a vengeance.