JEWEL - GOODBYE ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Jewel’s sixth album is written and sequenced as a chronological exploration of her rags-to-riches journey from a ranch in Alaska to big, bad Los Angeles and back. After the poorly received rhythmic dance of 2003’s “0304,” “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland” returns Jewel to her folk/pop roots, serving up her usual host of poetic metaphors for lessons learned and observations on humanity. Gorgeously produced by Rob Cavallo with a dominant palette of guitars and keyboards, the set’s stroracks are among Jewel’s best. Hit single “Again and Again” percolates with signature vim, while “Good Day,” “Fragile Heart” (a new take, after its first appearance on “0304″) and “Long Slow Slide” are as astute as they are insatiably melodic. Elsewhere, the autobiographical “Stephenville, TX” is so confessional that it tells the artist’s story like a one-on-one conversation. Mighty fine work.–Billboard
