Track Listing

1. They
2. Come On Closer
3. Finally Woken
4. Save Me
5. 24
6. Missing You
7. Wish I
8. Just A Ride
9. Falling For You
10. Stay Now
11. Flying High

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34362 in Music
• Released on: 2004-10-11
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Cardiff-born Jem Griffiths had to travel to America for her big break, which is why her debut album Finally Woken only made it big in the UK nearly a year after its US release. And though her downbeat electronica and laconic vocals find her lumbered with a "Dido-wannabe" tag, she's actually much more adventurous than that. On the whole, Finally Woken sounds like someone finally told Beth Orton to cheer up, and at its best the album finds Jem revelling in all the studio tricks available to her. Opener "They" loops a nonsensical children's chorus to create a mood of Danny Elfman-esque creepiness, while "Come on Closer" and "24" manage to use crunching electric guitars and strings whilst avoiding any comparison to Evanescence. The title track--the one that proved her breakthrough in the US--combines a loping beat with a jazzy vocal delivery that's reminiscent of Portishead, and "Save Me" is a better-than-average R&B track that's sure to be covered for years to come. Unfortunately, too much of the album's latter half sinks into a slow-paced Dido-esque electronic slurry, though she's to be applauded for at least trying to liven things up with the cod-reggae of "Wish I". On the strength of Finally Woken, a UK breakthrough for Jem is practically guaranteed. --Robert Burrow

Album Description
Jem's co-written a song for Madonna, appeared in The O.C. and is tipped to be the new Dido. Finally Woken features eleven tracks written and co-produced by Jem including smash single "They".

CD Description
Debut album from Jem Griffiths, Welsh singer-songwriter anderstwhile Skint Records promoter. Marrying funky electronicbeats and a slick RnB style production sound with contemporary, commercial pop songwriting, the result comes off sounding like a cross between Dido (to whom Griffiths bears more than a passing vocal resemblance) and the trip hop-lite of groups like Morcheeba or Sneaker Pimps. Includes the single 'They'.

Customer Reviews

A gem from Jem
We can't pin Jem down!

I read the few Amazon.co.uk reviews of 'Finally Woken', and then the eighty or so reviews on Amazon.com before, although really being little the wiser, buying the album anyway. In the meantime I had heard 'They' a couple of times on the radio - I had read all about the Dido comparisons and thought that they seemed at best tenuous based on this track. Having now listened to the album many times through, I now see the problem. Jem is difficult to pigeonhole, and that can only be a good thing. If I had to nominate the most Dido-like track - and I'm a big fan of Dido - it would have to be the title track 'Finally Woken'. The rest of the album is very varied, but Jem's voice is great throughout and the wealth of influences so wonderfully eclectic. I currently love the rock guitars and strings of '24', while the closing track 'flying high' is very close to modern acoustic folk, but dance sensibilities also form an insidious part of the mix on many tracks.
I'm not about to list the tracks, as there is nothing bad here. Like Dido and Joss Stone, Jem seems to have carried the torch for UK music by starting her rise to fame in the US first. That we can't easily compare them is witness to the fantastic diversity of UK music we now have for our enjoyment. If you want to test the water first, amazon.com allows the hearing of samples of all tracks. Otherwise just give this album a try - it is good - and I can't wait to hear Jem live. I'm going to be mean and give it four stars - simply because I hope, and expect, to need to give her next album a higher rating.

fantastic, unique and a great debut
This girl just came out of nowhere, the first time i heard anything about her was when she appeared on 'Music From The OC:Mix 1' and i kinda liked the song. Then when she appeared on the mix 2 album with a brilliant cover of 'Maybe I'm Amazed' i started to think 'who is this girl?'. Then i saw 'They' on the TV and that just blew me away, it is a fantastic song, the best song on the album i would say, its funky, you can dance to it, its great pop but with an edge. Other great songs on the album include 'Come on Closer' which is a fantastic song with heavy beats, a killer chorus, and mysterious whispered lyrics. 'Save Me' has a brilliant reggae vibe, its very different to any other pop i have heard before, its certainly not squeaky clean. 'Wish I' is such a happy song, you could imagine listening to this on a hot summers day while relaxing in the garden, perfect chill out music, love it.
Any comparisons to Dido are completely unjust, okay so there voices are freakishly similar but their sound is totally different. I really like Dido but all her songs seem to sound very similar, this is not the case with Jem, every song has its own unique style, there isnt really a protruding sound throughout the album, every song brings a different feel to the album.
Its a definite must buy for 2005, Its the best album i've heard in 2005 by far and i expect that we will be seeing a lot more from Jem in the future

Captivating and beautiful
Jem isn't an artist I would usually have checked out, but my girlfriend expressed an interest in the album so I decided to give it a whirl. Boy am I glad I did!
The album provides such a variety, from the beautifully melodic lullaby of Flying High to the emotional lament of Missing You to the rocky riffs and energetic violins of 24. You'll definately find something in here that catches your ear, and there's enough genre blurring to get people from all musical cultures listening.

Even the first song, They, has a tasty selection of styles all mixed into one delicous song with it's contemporary pop heavy beats overlaid on spanish guitar riffs and samples of children singing.

Finally Woken is the musical equivalent of a good book that you just can't put down. Whether you are looking for an album to fall asleep to, wake up to, or listen through the day, this will fit the bill. Check it out!