Spirit (Bonus Disc)

The multi-platinum success of Jewel's debut album Pieces of You came as a bit of a surprise to some observers, but it shouldn't have. Alone among all the female singer/songwriters of the post-alternative '90s, Jewel appealed to sensitive female teenagers and preteen girls. Her pretty melodies, gentle folk-rock, and sweetly naive lyrics are the sound of awkwardly creative adolescence, which made sense, since she was only a teenager at the time of her debut. That na?vet? was the reason why Pieces of You was charming, even with a slapdash production that left in rough edges that should have been sanded. It wasn't until Jewel re-recorded the singles "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant for Me" that the album took off, because it was only then that the songs were given a properly polished, alluring production. Realizing this, Jewel abandoned any pretenses of being just a girl with her guitar on her eagerly awaited second album, Spirit. Released nearly four years after Pieces of You, Spirit is a markedly different (but recognizable) album from its predecessor, due largely to Patrick Leonard's glossy, radio-ready production. There is none of the raggedness that necessitated re-recordings with Pieces of You -- layered with gentle guitars and unobtrusive keyboards, every track feels as if it could be a hit single on adult alternative pop radio. If the production has changed, the basic sentiment behind the music has not -- in essence, Spirit is the same record as Pieces of You, with the same sweet melodies and naive poetry. Even if it doesn't have any songs that stand out like "Who Will Save Your Soul," it is, song for song, a more consistent album, even if the lyrics are often startlingly naive for a woman 24 years of age, especially on the lead single "Hands." But even if Spirit is a stronger, more listenable album than its predecessor, much of the awkward charm of Pieces of You has been removed -- which means that even if she appeals to the same audience as before, some of her initial fans may find that she's now a bit too slick in her attack to truly connect. [Spirit is also available in an import release, with bonus tracks.] Stephen Thomas Erlewine.