|
 |
 | ||
Submit your own review-- click here! Average Reviewer Rating:
Number of This Way (2001) Reviews: 1
Reviewer: John Fitzgerald, Human resources staff database assistant January 09, 2003 I must admit, I'm not overly familiar with Ms. Kilcher's previous work but from what I've
read "This way" is more commercial that "Spirit" was but less acoustic than "Pieces of
you" was though the last 2 tracks "Grey matter" & "Sometimes it be that way" (which are
billed as "bonus tracks" on the CD but I have yet to see a version of this album that
DOESN'T have these tracks) were recorded live and are similar sounding to the "Pieces
of you" material. However, although the lyrics are somewhat quirky (referring to Tom
Hanks movies etc.), they are more "family friendly" than those on certain "Pieces of you"
tracks. "Grey matter" is the one closer sounding to "Pieces of you" material and it's the
better of the two, though not as crystalline and dramatic, though the "family" lyrics help
on lightening the atmosphere. Although "Sometimes it be that way" isn't as effective, it is
fun to listen to it after learning via the liner notes that the false start was due to Jewel
forgetting the lyrics so it was a nifty "cover" on her part though at least she admits it! In
contrast, the rockers work best on the album "itself" as the strumming opener "Standing
still" has a great hook which gallops nicely alongside the cold electric guitar jabs on the
choruses. The title track is similar to "Standing still" in it's feel though it needs to grow on
you more with listens than "Standing still" does. The song Bekka is on, "Everybody needs
someone sometime" is a grower of a pop tune which brings back the quirky lyrics (such as
"he looked like a potato shoved in to jeans") and you can hear Bekka better as the song
goes along but not in a big way as she's not THAT "out front" on the mix as there are 2
other backing vocalists to contend with here. The quirky lyrics continue on "Love me, just
leave me alone" ("your daddy was a cigarette, you ain't nothing but a turtleneck" etc.)
which is a furious rocker starting in slide acoustic guitar delta blues style mood which
builds in to punchy chorus power riffs obviously influenced by Dann Huff's production on
that one. In fact, a slight blues feel is present in this track which sure is a surprise,
wonderfully executed. Another passable uptempo number is "Do you want to play?"
which is basically pop with ragged guitars towards the chorus nearing the track to rock
avenues with a good hook. Other uptempos don't work as well as these though. "Jesus
loves you" is a funk builder but doesn't employ a good hook, "Serve the ego" doesn't
have a good hook either but it's instrumentation works pretty well (such as the bongos on
the verses and those familiar by now electric guitars come in on the choruses) though
thematically this song reminds me of The Police tune "Message in a bottle". The ballads
generally don't work though "Break me" is an obvious exception, understated by acoustic
guitar and piano nicely, it could be seen as corny and unoriginal by some but I find it
sensitive with an emotionally heartfelt vulnerability. "Till we run out of road" is one of the
slower tunes but just doesn't add up, "Cleveland" starts out as an acoustic ditty but a
forced funk feel takes over which doesn't help matters, "I won't walk away" is an another
acoustic song which does have a mesmerizing, dramatic feel to it but once again, lacks a
successful hook and "The new wild west" tries to be anthemic and dramatic with string
undertones but thematically ends up sounding more like Neil Young's "Old man" (though
mostly at the beginning). If this is apparently the "middle ground" effort for Jewel, then I
will say that the good rockers (and "Break me" for the "ballads") make it worthwhile and
as there seems to be differing opinions on this album, I'd still say it's worth a chance
anyways as you may like some of the ones I didn't (and vice versa).
