Customer Reviews

Jesus Wept

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Released near the end of 1995, this album was the masterwork I always knew these two gifted young men had in them. To call this a hip-hop album would be not only limiting, but a downright insult. Filled to overflowing with gorgeous melodies: "I'll Be Waiting For You","My Own Personal Gravity", "Why God Loves You", acoustic balladry: "Sonchynne" "A Lifetime", floating spirituals: "Sometimes I Miss You So Much (Dedicated To The Christ Conciousness)", glorius guitar squalor: "The 9:45 Wakeup Dream", "Superstar:Apathy" and creamy R&B: "Miles From Anything" this album has something for everyone. I purchased this CD right after graduation from Navy boot camp, and soon had my roomate in the barracks begging me to make him a copy of it on tape (I just sprung for another CD), but his addiction clearly indicated the power of great music, and how easily one can fall under the spell of P.M. Dawn. With "Jesus Wept" this brilliant group cast off the shackles and burden of being labled just another 'rap act' and produced what is actually one of the greatest ALBUMS OF ALL TIME, REGARDLESS OF GENRE. Any music lover will appreciate the richness and texture of the music, the earnestness, longing, and spiritual depth of Prince Be's Lyrics (yes, us African American Males are this complex and sensitive, but rarely do we get the chance to show it what with all the ridiculous, worn out thug/gangsta cliches that just won't go away) and marvel at the LP's perfect, pristine production. This release raises the bar for all artists, and further proves that race doesn't matter when it comes to quality and that African American Artists shouldn't be pigeonholed or limited in what they can accomplish. This is simply ingenious. Another Highly Reccomended Masterpiece.

PM Dawn's 3rd album, 1995's "Jesus Wept", is in my opinion their best. I didn't fall for this album instantly - it took a few listens then the hooks become more prevalent and addictive. I enjoy all types of music but listened to this album daily for over 2 years. Best songs include "The 9:45 Wake-Up Dream"(one of the greatest songs ever, irrespective of music genre - it gives me goosebumps), "Sometimes I Miss You So Much" and "Downtown Venus". I cannot stress strongly enough how good this album is - i'm not someone who automatically gives any album 5 stars - here all plaudits are justified. If the only song you know by this group is "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" then you really should buy this album. Not a rap group at all, PM Dawn's ability to seamlessly combine original lyrics/arrangements with choice snippets of popular songs is brilliant. The recent "Best Of" (released 2000) is an inadequate 14 track farce, containing only 12 different songs then 2 remixes.

Jesus Wept by P.M. Dawn is simply magical. It's an ethereal trip into love and self-doubt complemented by cascading harmonies and touching melodies. Prince Be and J.C. simply outdo themselves on this album--but there's one musician in particular that really shines--guitarist Cameron Greider. P.M. Dawn really rocks on 'Downtown Venus' and then moves you with 'Why God Loves You' and 'Soncheyenne'. There couldn't be a P.M. Dawn album without sampling, and the sampling of Al B. Sure's 'Nite and Day' into 'Sometimes I Miss You So Much' is better than Al's original song! The Cordes are a force to be reckoned with--and I hope they continue to make albums for a long time.

Despite what many other reviews indicate, I don't hear much of PM Dawn's first two albums at all in the music of JESUS WEPT. This is a gorgeous, thoughtful, often sad (no surprise there with PM Dawn), and clever album. For legal reasons, many of the music samples they hoped to use could not be, so this is not really the album PM Dawn wanted to produce. Even so, it easily tops their first two albums. The intro here takes a Charlie Brown Christmas clip and spins it into a very moody, unsettling bit conjuring thoughts of self-worth/life/death. It erupts with a gun-click into the hit "Downtown Venus." This funky romp gives way to four more mellow songs, the best of which is "I'll be Waiting For You." As with many of PM Dawn's "love" songs, Prince Be's lyricism is ultra-poetic, and very touching. This song and "A Lifetime" are two wonderful examples of what seems to be such a strong connection to love that makes life meaningless-and utterly painful- without it. It's a very personal sounding album, and I would imagine it is not entirely fiction. "Why God Loves You," one of most musically and lyrically interesting songs on the disc, seems to praise admiration, profess confusion and apparent existentialism. It rides a groove of guitar and drums. PM Dawn is very spiritual, but not necessarily religious. Other high points of the album include the acoustic (and entirely falsetto) "Soncheynne" and the dreamy "Miles from Anything." As much as I like this album, there are a couple spots that don't match the near-perfection that much of the album hits. Sonically everything fits, but some songs' lyrics are nonsense and don't belong with the deep, spiritual tunes. Since some songs are SO good, it makes the less-than perfect songs seem worse than they actually are. The best parts of this record come when the group does what they do with the title: humanize spirituality. When the lyrics AND music intertwine to form both meaning and feeling, THAT'S magic.

This group like really over did themselves on this album and pretty much showed that they are legends in the annals of music.
By shedding much of the hip-hop bravado that they had displayed in their previous albums, they were able to bring their creative processes to bear on a melodic, musically superior and aesthetically refined masterpiece. The album following this one was also a gem.
I would buy the record again if i could. PM Dawn have touched my life with their music

I'm a major Talking Heads fan and some years ago I heard these guys do the final track featuring 'Once in a Lifetime' and had to get it. To my pleasant surprise I really enjoyed most of the CD. The vocals are so smooth you too will take notice! A sample of the intro of tracks won't do the CD justice as many need to build a bit. It also wouldn't hurt to be somewhat spritual as many songs reference the faith, but don't let the 'Christian R&B' thing bug you. This is just good music.

You have to relax, and let the music into you. This is not a rap album, soul, or any other type of music that you've heard. I am ashamed of the negative views people could give this too talented duo. They are the ones who aren't letting the music PM Dawn performs do what it is intended to do. This is the best all around album. You have to understand Downtown Venus and Sympathy...Superstar? before you can just pass them off as a hit or miss song.

Whenever one is feeling out of balance or just plain low, this album is the one to listen to. It seems to provide upliftment for every downer known to the human being. The lyrics are otherworldly but understandable with thought and all the music is truly from a sacred place inside the creators' hearts. This music simply touches like none I've ever felt before. There is actually only one rap song here, the rest are beautiful inspiring melodies. I wish P.M Dawn all the happiness they have given to me through this ablum.

This is one of the best albums of all time! I have literally gone through two of these cd's! Contemporary Jazz/Christian, I've never heard anything quite like this style of music before and I absolutely love it! I keep a copy in my car and one in my cd player in my house.
It wouldn't be fair to say that any particular song on this album is any better than the other; all I can say is that this record is a "mood", like anything from Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin.
These two guys are musical geniouses in my opinion. The first album is just as good as this one, so either way, you can't go wrong. Money VERY well spent to anyone who is curious about this. I'm a living testament saying "BUY THIS! BUY THIS!"

I always liked PM Dawn from afar. To be honest, I just never gave the albums a shot and suddenly this year I find myself purchasing all three and realizing that when it comes to smooth R & B, truly no one sounds like PM Dawn. Kind of new age, kind of R & B, kind of jazzy, but completely awesome. Jesus Wept had some high expectations to fill and it's only natural to have a bum album after the Bliss Album... The thing is that this isn't a bum album. It's quite good to put it lightly and if you find yourself humming to the beat of some tunes from what you thought was a one hit wonder, by all means by the album and accept that these guys were FAR from a one trick pony.