Rickie Lee Jones - Rickie Lee Jones

In 1979, the inimitable Rickie Lee Jones emerged with her self-titled debut, which won her a Best New Artist Grammy, and her career was off and running. What makes Jones stand outin the crowd is her ability to gracefully combine various styles of music without creating a self-conscious hodge-podge. On this album (and throughout her career), She creates an amalgam of various influences, including funk, jazz, folk, and country music. A born storyteller, Jones marks each song on this debut with her ability to weave an intriguing tale and craft a great melody. The opening track, "Chuck E.'s in Love" was the album's hit, and is clearly reminiscent of Steely Dan's work. (She would later collaborate with Steely Dan's Walter Becker.) But just when you think you've got Jones labeled, she offers up "Easy Money", an organic and delicate country-swing tune. Other songs, particularly "Coolsville", show Jones's introspective, melancholic side and give great depth to what remains one of her best albums.