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. Jupiter
8. Fat Boy
9. Enter From The East
10. Barcelona
11. Life Uncommon
12. Do You
13. Abscence Of Fear

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10718 in Music
• Released on: 1998-11-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's time for an update of our image of Jewel, the ingenue who set the music world on fire with her 1995 debut album, Pieces of You. After all, that effort consisted primarily of songs Jewel had written several years before, some of them dating back to her days as a free- spirited waif living in a van on the beach in San Diego. Now, at 25, she's become a sort of guru for self-expression and full disclosure, revealing perhaps too much of herself in see-through dresses worn to awards shows and a critically drubbed (yet bestselling) book of poetry. Spirit makes plain why Jewel's well-intentioned yet sometimes facile lyrics strike a chord with her audience while her poetry lies flat on the page. On songs like "Deep Water", "Hands", and "Down So Long", her words are borne aloft by sparkling melodies and her soaring voice, making even the most cynical observer take a schoolgirl-notebook image such as "your heart like grape gum on the ground" or an unreassuring platitude like "If I could tell the world just one thing / It would be that we're all OK" somewhat in stride. On Pieces of You, Jewel posed the musical question "Who will save your soul?" On Spirit, it sounds like she wants to do it herself. And the truth is, if you don't overanalyse it, the album does act as a sort of balm for wounded psyches or maybe a primer for raising your own inner child. Maybe she's right and we are all OK. Who knew? --Daniel Durchholz

CD Description
Aided by airy but sparkling production by Patrick Leonard, Jewel comforts one and all with this collection. On "Hands",she sings that if she could tell the world just one thing, "It would be that we're all OK". Outside of her multi-octave, crystalline voice, therein lies a large part of Jewel's true appeal--a seemingly boundless compassion. To the Beatles prescription "All You Need Is Love", she adds one more ingredient: "Fill your lives with love and bravery/And you shall lead a life uncommon". While much of her yearning is spiritual and utopian, Jewel is not immune to the call of the flesh. In "Do You" she wants to stay with a lover because their teeth are straight and "the sex is good".
It's not all about words however. There's a hip-hop touch in the rhythm section on "Down So Long", confirmed in the third verse when Jewel raps for about two bars. The natural sounds throughout the CD dominate the subtler synth touches. Acoustic guitar, tasteful wah-wah and spot-on harmonies make this an extremelyintimate, personal sounding release.

Customer Reviews

A true jewel.
Jewel's 'Spirit' is a most amazing purchase. I cannot quite describe it. It feels rich, like ice cream, textured with a beautifully clear voice strummy guitar and amazing lyrics. Spirit is also quite inspriring. It dives deep beneath within the subconcious and makes you smile, makes you relax down to a hair. This was my first Jewel purchase, and in no way whatsoever was I disappointed. Her lyrics are really impressive, its not surprising her poetry book was a success. But moreso, I love that she doesnt sing simply about love. 'Fat Boy' mostly shows this. Her songs seem to be stories too, they're clever and illustrated beautifully with her warm voice. It shows amazingly how talented Jewel is.
The Ballads too are amazing, and Jewel hasn't made the mistake of blending sticky sweet pop with these like such artists as Stacie Orrico. Although her sound is unique, I can also put a number of different faces to it. Lene Marlin's soft voice and gentle guitars, Delta Goodrem's clear voice. Vanessa Carlton's clever musical skills. There's a really lovely track at the end too: called 'A Little Bird' featuring the Jewel's mother with Jewel harmonising in the background. Its a beautiful lullaby, like the rest of the album, so clearly singing talent runs in the family.
Not only that, the album is atmospheric too, beautifully narrated with vocal, and perfect to chill out to. I recommend you buy it. Like, now!

Down So Long
This album rox! I love it there are 2 songs especally: "Down So Long" and "Hands". Some other good songs on this cd are "fat boy" and "deep water". This is such a great cd, some people may say that only her fans would like it but that's not true! Everyone would like it! My best freind listens to Marlyn Manson, Good Charlotte, and Evanessance and she bought the cd! My cousin listens to country music like Shania Twain, Buddy Jewel, and Faith Hill and she bought the cd too! That goes to show you that everyone would like this cd!

Not the best introduction to Jewel's music
Let's get one thing straight right from the start: Jewel is a superb lyricist and if you own her other albums and liked them, I would certainly recommend buying this one as well. My complaints about the album are that it is not her best and not the most enjoyable with the later songs on the album having the same sentiment musically with there being little to get excited about.

Aside from that, I cannot fault the first five tracks (with 'Deep Water' and 'Hands' being particularly poignant) and if you are fan I would tell you to buy it on the strength of those five.

If, however, you are new to Jewel's music I would suggest that you purchase 'Pieces of You' or 'This Way' before 'Spirit' since I don't believe it explores enough of her artisitic style and temperament for you to really appreciate her music.