Album Spotlight: Sass Jordan - Racine Revisited

About a month ago I wrote about Sass Jordan's Racine when I found out she was releasing a newly recorded album of the original songs on the 25th anniversary of the original album entitled Racine Revisited.

I'll admit, I was skeptical. Why re-record such a good album? What can you possibly do to make it better?

I'll also happily admit that my skepticism was vehemently slapped away. What Jordan and her hand-picked group of musicians did on Racine Revisited is fantastic.

Racine Revisited is fuller, warmer, swampier and better played than the original. It was recorded old-school. All the musicians in the same room, nothing digitized, over a two day period, by professional musicians.

After 25 years, Jordan's voice is a bit road weary, but she doesn't miss a note. And the road-weariness actually adds to the sound of the record. And, dammit, you can just hear the fun on the record, like everyone there was having a great time. I know that can't be quantified, but it's one of those things that you know it when you hear it.

Here's the recreational bass player in me coming out. What really struck me about this album is that it is a clinic in bass/drums locking in and being spot on every single time. With Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, etc.) on bass and Brent Fitz (most notably Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators) on drums, this is just a well done, tight album.

Twenty five years later, good music is still good music. When you make it better, that is impressive.

Retro Album Spotlight: Sass Jordan - Racine

One of the great things about fantastic music is that it doesn't have an expiration date. Music made that plays to the trends is usually disposable after a few years, but if an artist makes a great album, it will stand the test of time. That's what Sass Jordan did 25 years ago with Racine.

On the 25th anniversary (not to the day, but the year) of Racine's debut, Sass Jordan is releasing Racine ReVisited on September 15, which is a total re-recording of the album with hand picked musicians. You can read more about that on Jordan's website, and you should.

Here's a short teaser of said album.



Being totally transparent, I readily admit I was not aware of the original album until I ran across something about Jordan doing a 25th anniversary remake. Sure, I was aware of Sass Jordan, have heard a few songs, but never really spent any time with her music. Like I said in the opening, there is no expiration date on good music. So listening to Racine was like listening to a brand new album. And what an album it is, very worthy of a remake, if only the remake can hold up to the original.

Racine is a rock album, borrowing heavily from the blues with a sprinkling of country and honky tonk thrown in. For those that read regularly, yes, there is swamp. Jordan's vocals are in the vein of Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt, Janis Joplin. And for a British born Canadian, there seems to be some inexplicable twang at times.

I don't know Jordan's influences, but there is a heavy Rolling Stones vibe to a lot of the songs.

Racine ReVisted will be her first album since 2009's From Dusk til Dawn. And I understand why established artists don't spend the money to record new music with the way the industry is nowadays so this will be an interesting study because Racine ReVistied is not just a remastering or remix, it's a full fledged re-recording of the album.

I'm also very compelled by Racine ReVisited because it wasn't re-recorded to be current, it was re-recorded 70s style, according to Jordan.

In the meantime, get to know the 25 year old original. Here are a couple of my favorite tracks.