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Alaskan -born Jewel Kilcher has always been somewhat of an enigma for most music fans.  Her coming of age on the music business is well documented, the Horatio Alger-style tale of living in a van, and playing in coffee houses for spare change, then becoming a multi-million selling artist.  We liked Jewel because she seemed honest, unsure of herself, wrote and performed songs that were raw and emotional, even if they sometimes had that “high school girl diary” feel to them.

0304, her latest, is a 180 degree turn from any of her previous works.  It is slick pop, produced in such a way as to pander to the pop radio audience.  Don’t look for any acoustic guitar, or heart-rendering lyrics here.  Jewel has either discovered, or had someone point out, her sexuality.  With titles like “Run 2 U,” “U & Me = Love,” “Sweet Temptation,” and “Leave the Lights On,” and her recent cover appearance on Maxim magazine, suddenly Ms. Kilcher is all about getting her freak on, and doesn’t care who knows it.

Is 0304 a sell-out?  Well, let’s see: folk singer sells millions, sees a decline with the third and fourth albums,  completely  revamps her image, appearance, and style of music, suddenly becomes publicly accessible,  and imitates the style of the day.  It may not that Jewel has sold out, but it sure feels that way.   “Stand” is the only tune here that resembles the old style of writing, but the lyrics get lost in the computer-programmed music behind it.

It’s a rare thing when the single of a record is the highlight, but “Intuition,” with its  brilliant video parody of MtV’s TRL, is the best
track on the record.   All of the songs here are of the Britney/Christina/Shakira school of thought, and that of course, is not where Jewel belongs.  Her old fans will get a little confused in concert, as these songs have no connection with anything from the first four albums.

My only hope for this CD is that it turns out to be Jewel’s “state of music” sermon, much like Pop was supposed to be for U2 (coincidentally, their worst CD to date).  If not, this will assuredly be seen by most as Jewel’s weakest effort.  When she picks up the acoustic again, someone call me.

Brian A. Smith
27 July 2003