Jewel still gleams

This woman bugged me long before I ever heard her precious music.

She was on some awards show bragging about how poor she was before she made it big, living in her car, eating Kraft Dinner and so on. Thanks to all the fans for buying the record, she said with a straight face, otherwise she would've had to steal to survive. Or get a real job ....

Not a positive first impression - but that was then. This is now.

The pouty, self-centred, impossibly sensitive poet has grown up a little bit on her sophomore album, Spirit. It's no Joni Mitchell, but it's a chronicle of maturity compared to Jewel's 10-million-selling debut album, Pieces Of You.

Framed by lilting, languid grooves and acoustic guitar, Spirit contains its share of mawkish moments, enhanced by the breathy fragility of Jewel's vocal delivery. And when it comes to lyrics, the weightier the topic, the more she stumbles. Innocence Maintained attempts to make a Big Statement about brotherly love, but it comes off like high school poetry riddled with platitudes and simple-minded sentiments. In personal, more down-to-earth matters, however, Jewel's music rings with sincerity. It's soul-baring time in songs like Deep Water, Barcelona and Enter From the East. The ethereal melody of Kiss the Flame is a highlight, as is a minimal gem called Fat Boy. Overall, the pleasant sounds, compassion and unashamed honesty prevalent throughout Spirit are hard to hate. Trust me, I tried.

It's clear that Jewel's heart is in the right place. Hopefully her head won't be far behind.

Track Listing 1. Deep Water 2. What's Simple Is True 3. Hands 4. Kiss The Flame 5. Down So Long 6. Innocence Maintained 7. Jupitor 8. Fat Boy 9. Enter From The East 10. Barcelona 11. Life Uncommon 12. Do You 13. Absence Of Fear 14. This Little Bird - (additional track)		Album rating