A real rock in Jewel's crown
Review by Adrian Thrills
Verdict: Not so precious, but still a gem (3 stars out of 5)
The past three years have seen her gain star billing in Hollywood and sell a million copies of her first volume of poetry. She is now such an all-rounder that it's a small wonder Jewel Kilcher still finds time to be a singer-songwriter.
But music has always been the first love of the 27-year-old American, who was discovered singing as she strummed an acoustic guitar in a San Diego coffee house - and This Way reasserts her enduring credentials.
The album, Jewel's third self-penned effort, has now sold a million copies in the U.S., having been issued over there in November. Next week's British release - which coincides with a one-off show at London's Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday - should indicate just how well her talent travels.
As the singer's first album of new material since she made her acting debut in Ride With The Devil, This Way doesn't find Kilcher deviating dramatically from the sensitive lyrics of 1995's Pieces Of You or 1998's dazzling Spirit.
But while tracks such as Jesus Loves You and The New Wild West suggest Jewel still subscribes to the coffee-house tradition of attempting to right the world's wrongs with a simple protest song, this record is more upbeat than either of its predecessors.
Jewel has grown less self-righteous as she has matured. And This Way is all the better for that.
Another change is the predominance of electric guitars. Compared to Spirit, which was seasoned by its jazzy percussion and keyboards, This Way is unequivocally a rock record.
Recorded in Nashville by Jewel - and local producer Dann Huff - it takes country's trademark melodies and places them in rockier surroundings.
'I wanted to focus on the crafts of performing and songwriting,' explains Jewel. 'I've always been a live musician and I wanted my voice to shine through.
'At the same time, I want to stay relevant as a writer, which means being honest about where I am. I'll always be curious, musically, and want to try new things. But above all, I want my music to sound good in 20 years' time.'
The move towards a commercial, rock-orientated sound has helped Jewel in her homeland, but there are moments on This Way when the more quirky approach of Pieces Of You and Spirit is missed.
Do You Want To Play? and The New Wild West are fussy and overcooked. The album would have benefited from more songs with the tender instrumentation of Break Me.
Against this, there are plenty of tracks on which Jewel's more robust approach works a treat.
Forthcoming single Standing Still, out on March 11, is a roadhouse rocker with a chorus crafted by Rick Nowles, a long-term accomplice of Stevie Nicks, while the Stonesy rocker Everybody Needs Someone Sometime boasts the sort of tune which might crop up on a Sheryl Crow record.
Other standouts include the country-ish Cleveland and the title track, which is the catchiest song here.
But the most impressive thing about This Way, as it was on Jewel's previous records, is the chameleon-like quality of her voice. Sometimes her wispy soprano is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell's jazzy inflections; elsewhere, she recalls the tantalising tones of Madonna; while the rockers find her drawling like a Southern belle.
In replacing introspective angst with a more mischievous approach, the Alaskan-raised singer has made the most accessible album of her career.
Her next single may claim otherwise, but Jewel Kilcher is definitely not standing still.
This review can also be found at www.femail.co.uk
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