Track Listing

1. Stronger Woman
2. I Do
3. Love Is A Garden
4. Rosey and Mick
5. Anyone But You
6. Thump Thump
7. Two Become One
8. 'Til It Feels Like Cheating
9. Everything Reminds Me Of You
10. Love By You (Cowboy Waltz)
11. Perfectly Clear

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7299 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Album Description
It comes as no surprise that Jewel, an acclaimed American singer, songwriter, actress, poet, painter, philanthropist and daughter to an Alaskan cowboy singer-songwriter, finds herself in the embrace of country music for the release of her seventh career album, Perfectly Clear.

Nashville Connections

Jewel's personal odyssey, partly chronicled on one of the best selling debut albums of all time, the twelve-time platinum Pieces of You, comes full circle with her forthcoming country album, Perfectly Clear, the debut release on newly launched Nashville-based independent label The Valory Music Co.

Jewel is set apart her whole career for not only singing, but writing all her songs, and this album is no exception. "I've been writing country songs my whole career; some of the songs on this record date back to when I was 18 years old. I've been hanging on to them until now. They were meant for a record like this one."

The record's first single "Stronger Woman" is a powerful and positive message that resonates with women of any age. Perfectly Clear is produced by Jewel and John Rich of Big and Rich fame. "Jewel is probably one of the greatest American singer-songwriters we have. It is such an honor to work with anyone of that caliber of talent," Rich says. Jewel has spent a lot of time in Nashville over the last few years, and has naturally been drawn to and accepted by the Nashville music community. "If I were discovered today, there is no doubt that I would be signed as a country artist. Songs like "You Were Meant For Me" would have been a country hit today, and not a pop hit as it was in the 90s. The genres have changed more than I feel I have," says Jewel.

The City Paper, Nashville, TN
Jewel's new country disc definitely looks backward rather than forward for its inspiration, with a pronounced acoustic background and the piercing, declarative sound of fiddles, steel and dobros rather than electric guitars forming the musical settings. Her songs explore themes ranging from empowerment ("Stronger Woman," "Perfectly Clear") and anger ("Anyone But You") to betrayal ("Till She Feels Like Cheating") and romantic fulfillment ("Everything Reminds Me of You," "Two Become One.")

The voice is clear and steady, and while she won't remind anyone of Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline, these numbers are far more immersed in the qualities and sensibility of vintage country than the lexicon and tone of several contemporary hitmakers.

Brandy McDonnell, The Oklahoman
Going country has become the hip fad, with rock and pop artists from the Eagles to Bon Jovi to Jessica exploring the Nashville way. Folk/pop singer-songwriter Jewel slips easily into the trend with her new album "Perfectly Clear." Although she has experimented with other genres -- her 2003 dance-pop album "0304" raised many an eyebrow -- her low-key balladeer style and pure, sweet voice are made for country. Jewel wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 11 tracks, which all delve into the universal themes of love and heartbreak. John Rich of the duo Big & Rich co-produced the album with her, liberally peppering it with fiddles and steel guitars. Still, the songs don't sound much different than Jewel's hits from "Pieces of You," the 1995 debut disc that made her a pop star. Despite the countrified topcoat, lively ballads "Two Become One," "Thump, Thump" and "I Do" are undeniably pop songs.

But the first single "Stronger Woman" and the sexy come-on "Till It Feels Like Cheating" smelt her pop and country sensibilities into crossover gold. While her twang sometimes seems affected, Jewel even pulls off a bit of yodeling on "Loved by You (Cowboy Waltz)." The album runs into a problem common across genres: Too many of the songs sound the same. It's a shame Big Kenny Alpin couldn't come around to help Jewel throw down and have a little fun.

Customer Reviews

Country-folk for country folk
Popular folk singer/songwriter Jewel tries something old for her new album, and comes up country fresh and honey sweet. The tracks are like Carrie Underwood channeling The Carpenters for a perfect blend of vintage country with pop and folk.

The lead single is "Stronger Woman", an anthem for women everywhere who are being taken for granted by the men in their lives. Her advice?

"I'm gonna love myself more than anyone else
Believe in me, even if someone can't see
A stronger woman in me"

She follows up with "I Do", which is a song about making a commitment to the person you love. I really like the clever lyrics, and chorus, "'Cause love is a game until it's played / And if it's lost, it can't ever be saved."

For some old-fashioned country violins and stuff, try "Love is a Garden" (a track with a little Shania Twain edge); "Anyone But You"; "Thump Thump" ; "'Til it Feels Like Cheating" (pure country); "Everything Reminds Me of You"; "Love By You (Cowboy Waltz)" (a bit of yodeling here) and "Perfectly Clear"

My son likes "Rosey and Mick", which has a chorus that reminds me of The Carpenters, and I also like "Two Become One" which is very familiar, but I can't recall the song it reminds me of right now. (Maybe "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny and Dolly, combined with "Love Doesn't Ask Why" by Celine Dion)

I prefer Jewel as a folk singer, but I appreciate her experimenting with a variety of styles. This is a very good country album by any standards.

Rated: 4.5 stars


Amanda Richards, June 14, 2008

Perfectly Clear a Gem on First Listen
I have been a fan of Jewel, since just after her coffee house days, and I have seen her in concert over a dozen times. "Perfectly Clear," is a stunningly gorgeous demonstration of Jewel's unique, fascinating storytelling. Furthermore, the sound is fantastic. I care very little for country music, but this album is fantastic and quickly rose to one be one of my favorite Jewel albums ever despite having only listened fully one time. Typically I need a dozen listens before really understanding and enjoying the sound of an album. Not here, this album is great right off the first push of the play button, and the Jewel storytelling is always clear and there from the start to begin with.

The album is not entirely different from the 2001 album release "This Way." While every Jewel album is superb, I'd certainly take the step to say this is the best produced album since "This Way," as its not overly done, and Jewel's voice is allowed to carry the story.

The variety and quality of songs on here is fantastic. From older treasures, to new creations, they are found here. They will delight you, put you at peace, and entertain you.

My next album hope? This album was fully enjoyed. I still want, someday, the average CD or radio listener to hear the brilliance that is Jewel live. A Jewel live album, or live-style album would further complete her discography.

A unique collection from a wonderful songwriter...
I've been following Jewel's career since I was 12 years old (I am now in my 20s). I've always just found something so refreshingly honest in her approach to making music. She does it for the real love of it and she's always been striving to get remembered as a songwriter first and a hit-maker second. While that may mean that she's fallen off many people's radar since her huge splash of a debut album, it also means she's tread a unique career path for those fans willing to stick with her.

I thought her last album, 2006's "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," was perhaps her best record yet. It was a wonderful collection of songs that were obviously deeply personal. I hated the fact that her record company didn't seem to pay attention to it, or to Jewel herself. I was frankly relieved to learn that she had switched to a teeny-tiny new record company and would be fully embracing the country aesthetic her music has had for years. This wasn't a new venture for Jewel. She's always been the daughter of a cowboy and her songs have always had the ballad-y, storytelling quality of old-school country. There have been songs like "Do You," "Cleveland," "Everybody Needs Someone Sometime," "Stephenville, TX," and even "You Were Meant for Me" on all of albums, excepting 2003's out-of-character 0304.

"Perfectly Clear" completely reaches its potential. Jewel has stated that she was inspired by albums like Linda Ronstadt's "Heart Like a Wheel" when creating this album: a collection of less than a dozen songs that you can fully appreciate and absorb in one sitting. There isn't any filler or fat on this album. Each song was clearly approached with all the care and emotion they deserved. The hooks are immediate, the production is gentle and not at all intrusive and the songwriting is the same blend of quirky self-deprication and insightful gravitas that I've come to expect from Jewel.

"Perfectly Clear" may just be the best album Jewel has yet released. It instantly captures every aspect of this musician that I've enjoyed for so many years. It's sweet, romantic, occasionally funny, and always the unique document of one unique woman. No one else could have made this album and I continue to applaud Jewel for leading the career journey SHE wants to lead. I really hope she finds the success she deserves in the country music world.