I seem to be pretty much in the minority. I thought Jewel's last album, the almost universally panned 03/04, was actually quite good. Of course the problem was that it wasn't the Jewel "sound" everybody wanted from her, a fact she acknowledged to some degree in the inlay notes for that album. And it's a fact she's acknowledging again in the inlay notes to the new album Goodbye Alice In Wonderland where, amongst telling us that the album is the story of her life and follows a linear narrative, she almost apologises for somewhat going back to her roots.
The funny thing is though that it's the more "pop" moments on this album that are the standout tracks. Again and Again, Only One Too and Words Get In The Way are hits in the making; joyful, playful and catchy...everything you could ask for and more.
It's the more serious notes that don't impress as much. For a singer who's lyrics are such a strong focal point (witness the poetry book she published) this album proves once again that Jewel has a tendancy to be a little too autobiographical and cloying for her own good. Good Day, in particular, has all the hallmarks of a dreadful Jewel track (and to be fair, there are a few of those in the canon) with its insipid lyrics being almost embarassingly precious and narcissistic.
Still the odd duff track should not detract from what is probably the strongest collection of Jewel tracks yet. The attempt for a linear narrative would proably pass by most people if Jewel hadn't mentioned it herself, but it does make for a coherent and satisfying whole. My only problem is that after the shockingly daring and different 03/04, Jewel has gone back to playing it safe, and whilst the end result is definately one of the better albums of her career, it's sad in some ways to think what might have been if she'd torn off the shackles once more.
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