File Under: Rock/Experimental rating: B+ tracks 1. Message 2. Stranger 3. The Rocket Ships of La Jolla 4. Asleep on the Motorway 5. Hello Neon! 6. The A Team 7. Half Up the Hill 8. The Princess of My Heart 9. Getaway Car 10. To Get There 11. Nowhere Slow 12. In the Face of All This related links Jesus Jones

After an extended hiatus, Jesus Jones has returned with an updated sound, but the same aspects you had come to love from their older material are still in tact.

London is the name of the new album, which is a collection of tracks written by vocalist/guitarist Mike Edwards between December of ’98 and June of ’01.

The opening track "Message" is exactly the way a band should return after an extended absence. Edwards used a little foresight when picking this song as the lead track of the album. The song is a bit edgier than most of Jesus Jones’ past efforts, which definitely works to wake everyone up and have them fall back into the fold.

As with Jesus Jones songs of past, the rock guitars, keyboard-laden hooks, tight rhythm section and melodic vocals make an agreeable combination that isn’t hard to enjoy. With the drum tracks jumping between manned drums and drum machine loops, the rhythms stay complex and interesting for the picky listener, but the melodies are strong enough to captivate the audiences of all tastes.

"Asleep on the Motorway" is a great tale of the loneliness of a late night drive in the middle of nowhere. The melodies of the song are subtle and entrancing, much like a night spent staring down the road. Much like that is "Hello Neon," which gives the somber feel of a lonesome person searching for something worthwhile and finding the lights of the city.

Rather than staying in the past, Jesus Jones has progressed to make music that will be recognizable to older audiences, yet will appeal to the new generation. I couldn't have expected something like this from a band that was defunct for quite a few years, but musicianship and quality songwriting have paid off.

Samuel Barker is Senior Editor. Contact him at suma@rockzone.com.