Single Review: Ghost - Jesus He Knows Me
Reviewed by Tim Finch
It’s been just a year since Ghost released the critically acclaimed ‘Impera’ and followed that up with the highly impressive Imperatour across North America and Europe. With gigs and festival dates lined up across Europe again this summer and a return to North America already booked in, speculation has been swirling for weeks that the band were about to release new material. Of course no official word came from the band to address those rumours… until Easter Sunday when all that changed.
An Easter Sunday “Jesus Talk With Father Jim DeFroque” (which you can watch here) was advertised by the band. Half an hour of the Father answering callers questions, before all hell broke loose!
Follwoing the sermon/phone in, the band released a cover of Genesis’ ‘Jesus He Knows Me’. What immediately hits you is the pace of the song. Whilst the original was up-tempo by Genesis’ standards, the Ghost rendition runs at two to three times the pace. That repetitive riff and drum beat lead us into Papa Emertius’ kicking the song off. Vocally staying relatively true to the original but of course with Papa’s unique spin on things.
The accompanying video (click the link see below) takes the lyrical content quite literally, following the aforementioned Father Jim DeFroque through his sermons, congregational monetary collections and through to how he spends it on hookers and blow. Be prepared for the scene with the Ice Hockey players for those of a weak disposition!
What will come next from the band is a five track EP – Phantomime – which was also announced on Easter Sunday, five songs, all covers which will no doubt pique the interest of Ghost fans and non believers alike. Be prepared for its release on May 18th.
