Jewel, “Sweet and Wild” (Valory Music Group)
It’s easy to question recent reinvention as a country singer. First of all, Jewel has already reinvented herself multiple times — and with varying degrees of success.
Jewel is of course the Alaska- reared artist who lived out of a van until she broke through with her debut “Pieces of Me,” which spawned three hit singles on the adult alternative charts and sold more than 12 million records. Few remember her 2003 dance-pop record, “0304,” and it’s hardly worth recalling. But many have watched with curiosity as Jewel has recast herself as an independent artist singing pop- country music.
“Sweet and Wild” is her second country outing, following 2008’s “Perfectly Clear.” And while her Jennifer Tilly-style singing voice is still there with her sweet-natured lyrics — she wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on the album — the hit songs might not be there anymore.
Jewel does have a discernible songwriting voice, and sometimes that affable personality comes through in her pop-country ditties. But sometimes it doesn’t, and you hate to see an artist losing what made her likable in an attempt to appeal to another demographic on the FM band.
“I Love You Forever” is too saccharine to connect. The CD-closing ballad “Satisfied” straddles genre lines for obvious reasons, but then again it lacks its own personality on a record that claims to be — from its swagger to its Westernized photography — a country outing. And “Fading” is a pandering ballad that sets the scene at the very beginning: “It’s Wal-Mart, the bathroom/ I’m staring in the mirror/Fluorescent lights are bright.” — Ricardo Baca
Chali 2na, “Fish Market Part 2” (Decon)
original “Fish Market” hit like a mixtape, and “Part 2” is no different. The sequel comes off as an informal listen, a back-to-basics collaboration between one MC and one DJ, Dez Andres. And while sometimes that works to 2na’s advantage, sometimes the project’s informal nature comes off as hurried.
We get the aesthetic 2na and Andres went for, but we’ve also already deleted various of these skit tracks — “2na Interview,” “I Met Dez” and a few others — from our iTunes libraries.
That said, it’s worth wading through the stylistic nonsense to rock beat-heavy tracks such as “Step Yo Game Up” and “Focused Up.” Scott Storch rocks some stunning, dance-minded production for the former, and 2na doesn’t let down with his authoritative rhymes. The latter features more melodic production (from Bean One) with an assortment of collaborators, including Shockwave and Ang 13.
Dubstep fans will be psyched to hear the Rusko-produced track “Gadget Go Go,” a standout jam that doesn’t jibe with the rest of the record all that much. But this is (almost) a mixtape, right? So the rules for album throughlines are loosened a bit. — Ricardo Baca
The Gaslight Anthem, “American Slang” (Side One Dummy)
“The 59’ Sound” sent the message that is a band to be taken seriously while “American Slang” proves it’s more than a one trick pony. The album may not have the same melding of rock and hardcore as the previous two, but it works for these guys as “American Slang” excels at showcasing the band’s ingenuity. Think of it as a blend of rock, soul, rockabilly and, of course, Bruce Springsteen; the band tends to wear its influences on its sleeve.
The Gaslight Anthem could have gotten away with churning out another album that sounded exactly like its previous work but didn’t, choosing instead to grow, much like it always has. The changes are more subtle than dramatic as lead singer Brian Fallon’s vocals seem a bit more soulful and the guitars not quite as raw.
Consistency for “American Slang” lies in the band’s exuberance for creating music and Fallon’s continued success in writing vividly thought-provoking songs. These are songs about love, lust and general hardships — which is nothing new, but the conviction in Fallon’s voice further establishes a connection with the listener. The band lived through these moments and the result is “American Slang.” — Greg Stieber
The Gaslight Anthem will be in town at on July 24.
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the , Colorado’s premier indie music festival. Follow his whimsies at , his live music habit at and his iTunes addictions at .
Greg Stieber is a Denver freelance writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
