There's no flaw in Jewel
Verdict: Refreshingly optimistic American pop (4 stars)
JEWEL KILCHER, who sold almost ten million copies of her 1995 debut Pieces Of You, played a lacklustre solo show at London's Empire Theatre last year. But this second album is an unexpected delight.
Her voice pure and fresh, the Alaskan singer shines on both acoustic ballads and pop tracks. Her lucid, charming songs are embellished by jazzy percussion, jangling electric guitars and swathes of ambient keyboards and synthesiser, making Spirit a more rounded affair than her debut.
From the breath less Kiss The Flame and the euphoric Jupiter to the witty Do You, Jewel's outlook is spiced with an idealistic streak and a sense of wonder bordering on the spiritual.
Prevented from becoming too pretentious by her endearing simplicity, Jewel occasionally recalls fellow Americans Tori Amos (on Hands) and Tracy Chapman (on Life Uncommon). But her greatest gift is her
originality - Spirit is unique.
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