I like this record! Over the weekend, the shine wore off a little and I think I can review this fairly now.
I had the mister listen to it, which also helps me be more objective. He said he’s impressed she produced it and that was about it. Otherwise, he said it sounds just like any other Jewel record. He will not be tuning in again.
My number one take away is Jewel should do a storytelling concept album. Apparently she’s ready for it with as much over-dramatized vocal improvisation there is in many of these songs.
1. “Love Used To Be”
Great album opener! That being said, I cringe a little at the “now I’m alone and I’m lost and I’m adrift at sea” part, but it’s okay. It fits. Honestly, I wasn’t as hot on this song at the soiree as others were, but it sounds p god on the record. 8/10
2. “A Boy Needs A Bike”
I was prepared to tank this song after I heard about the change to 4/4 time at the soiree, but the riff is cute and fits with the feel of the song. I like it enough. 8/10
3. “Everything Breaks”
Sorry, I still prefer the dark, simple bonus track off the POY vinyl.
6/10 … will probably supplant the original version in my playlist. You know what? It fits really well with the feel of the album, too.
4. “Family Tree”
Beautiful! It fits so freaking well with the tone of this record. There’s a weakness in Jewel’s voice on this recording that really makes this song great. 9/10
5. “It Doesn’t Hurt Right Now”
I love this song. I love the sound of a broken old man in a recording. It reminds me of Johnny Cash’s version of hurt mixed up with something out of a 1970’s Andrew Lloyd Webber track. There’s a goofy lyric about having a guy fill her which is awkward, and the “oh won’t you give it to me” doesn’t fit, so I won’t give this a perfect score. 9/10
6. “His Pleasure Is My Pain”
I choked up a little hearing this one in the ear buds. I really, really, really love this song and the production is perfect. “Yes it’s true I’m too sensitive but he takes pleasure in my pain,” has always been one of my favorite Jewel lyrics. All of us have family problems and this one makes me think of my dad. Super ouch. 10/10 song all day long.
7. “Here When Gone”
I love the dusty shuffle of the verses in this, but the western twang of the chorus is a bit much. I know Jewel said she felt it was two different songs, but I don’t agree completely. I don’t hate the arrangement, but I prefer the acoustic version still. 7/10
8. “The Shape of You”
Great song, clean recording. I think I already have this recording and if I don’t, I basically do. This one was ripe for production, I though. Missed opportunity. I love the song, so it’s 9/10, but the lack of attention the song got in the studio got drops it to 8/10 because I expected more. Should have busted out a piano or a cello or something for this one, I feel.
9. “Plain Jane”
I know this is a new song, but I keep hearing it as 501 Beauty Queen and I love that song. I hope this doesn’t mean that 501 is going the way of Ain’t No Looking Back. Cute song and it fits well. The vocal distortion on this is weird, but I’m sure it’s symbolic of something… 8/10
10. “Pretty Face Fool”
I freaking love this song and it’s the only one the mister actively likes. This is the only track on the album that has radio potential, I think, because the chorus is quite the little earworm. Kip Moore is a talented man! 10/10
11. “Nicotine Love”
I think this is perfect – absolutely perfect. I love the creepy breathing at the end, too. I didn’t hear any weird screams in the end like the folks on Twitter have. I love the Dylan-esque harmonica on this track and the heavy jazz bass – every genre of music possible had a swing at this track and I love it. I can’t WAIT to get my hands on the lossless copy so I can hear all the neat little noises she put in this track. Pretty sure I can hear something in the background, though … maybe crowd cheering? Anyway, 10/10
12. “Carnivore”
I feel like Jewel put this on here to get us to stop whining for this song to be on an album. I’ve heard multiple band versions of this song and yet we went acoustic for this? Sounds like a ploy to sell a bonus version. This is a 10/10 song for me and this is a clean, albeit boring, recording of the song. I give the album version
/10 because I don’t hear a single drum or bass.
13. “My Father’s Daughter” (feat. Dolly Parton)
I skip this one. I guess this is an attempt to get other people besides us to listen to the album. Love the song, but I officially hate this duet. I give this an even 5/10 and I’ll be supplanting the studio version we got from jeweljk.com some years back.
14. “Mercy”
This song is the PERFECT album closer. “I have broken wide open” is a great way to end this era of her life and begin a new one. It also segues well into the new self-help book/website/one woman shows she wants to start doing. Fingers crossed that this doesn’t become all contrived and made for daytime TV. This is a review of the song and its recording and I give this one a 10/10.
That means the whole record is an 8.4/10 for me, which puts it behind my two favorite Jewel albums, POY and Spirit, both of which I rate a solid 10/10.
