- Audio Cassette (28 Feb 1995)
- Format: Extra tracks, Import
- Label: Atlantic / Wea
- ASIN: B000002J2T
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Who Will Save Your Soul |
| 2. Pieces of You |
| 3. Little Sister |
| 4. Foolish Games |
| 5. Near You Always |
| 6. Painters |
| 7. Morning Song |
| 8. Adrian |
| 9. I'm Sensitive |
| 10. You Were Meant for Me |
| 11. Don't |
| 12. Daddy |
| 13. Angel Standing By |
| 14. Amen |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Jewel's debut album, Pieces of You, reveals a special voice--strong and focused on both the whispery verses and the hooky choruses. The recording also exposes an unfortunate tendency to present trite, hackneyed sentiments as if they were oracular visions from a young prophet to a jaded world. For the most part, Jewel sings to her own acoustic guitar accompaniment, but she has a lot more in common with, say, the Indigo Girls or Lisa Loeb than with Judy Collins or Nanci Griffith. Despite her soft soprano and pretty melodies, her songs have an iconoclastic edge which make her more of an unplugged alternative rocker than a folkie. Her songs too often betray their origins as written verse in their hard-to-sing meters, unmusical phrasing, and diary-like pronouncements. Nonetheless, a few numbers, such as "Morning Song" and "You Were Meant for Me", show a spark of humor about romance, and hint that Jewel may yet write songs worthy of her remarkable voice. --Geoffrey Himes
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is an extremely well written début (especially regarding lyrics), and what's even better is that Jewel wrote all of the tracks, minus two that she co-wrote with Steve Poltz.
The first track (and the first single to be released), "Who Will Save Your Soul?", has a good swinging riff, with lyrics about the modern way of living, a theme that is carried on to "Little Sister", about the materialistic and drug-ridden ways of the world. Meanwhile, "Amen" questions nature and religion – a theme also used in the opening track.
The title song, "Pieces of You", has sad guitar music, and the lyrics centre on do we judge people in a certain way because they remind us of ourselves? And "Daddy" has a slow swinging guitar melody that suggests that something is wrong. This fits in with the lyrics, which are at times sarcastic and vengeful – one of the best tracks on the album.
Two tracks tell stories through song. "Painters" is of a pair of artists who face tragedy, and "Adrian" is of a boy damaged at camp who comes home, where the townsfolk believe his life support should be turned off.
Though not all tracks are focused on confronting lyrics. "I'm Sensitive" is a fun little song, while "Angel Standing By" makes the perfect lullaby.
While the standard of lyric writing is high, there is something to be improved upon in the form of music writing. Although the chords and notes used are different and may be played at different paces, there are definite patterns in the music. There seems to be two different groups within the album – the first one consisting of "Who Will Save Your Soul?", "Morning Song", "You Were Meant For Me" and "Daddy"; and a smaller group with "Angel Standing By" and "Amen". Tracks on the following album, "Spirit", also carry on with these similar music styles.
Overall, it's an impressive début with the emphasis clearly on lyrics. Though this trait fades as Jewel's albums progress, it is a quality that undoubtedly has made this album worthy of anyone's music collection.
http://thenorthernsound.cjb.net
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this album as soon as I had seen Jewel perform 'You were meant for me' twice on British television, and I was mostly risking the expensive pay out (I was 16, with no income) for something no one had recommended or sampled for me. Man! Was I chuffed that I bought it! I must have played it non stop for a month, and still regularly over the past 3 years, and every song beats within my still. Jewel tells stories with her compositions, wonderfully arranged and performed, emotional and cognitive. If you've heard of jewel, buy this album before any other, it's the foundation by which your admiration for this angel will be strong and eternal, trust me!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The first time I heard Jewel was when 'Foolish games' was played on a late nite programme on my local radio station and I just had to buy this album.I've noticed her second album'Spirit'seems to be more popular but I prefer this.The tracks are simple and beautiful,made up mostly of just Jewels sweet voice and accoustic guitar.The lyrics are meaningful and poetic and at times tell a story,'Painters'and 'Adrian'.My favourite tracks are 'Amen','Angel Standing By' and 'Painters'.I would definately recommend this album to anyone who appreciates good music.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Jewel Sparkles.......
Jewel's fine debut album and the forerunner of many great things to come.
Uniquely laced with highly imaginative personal lyrics, and delivered with Jewel's endearing... Read more
Uniquely laced with highly imaginative personal lyrics, and delivered with Jewel's endearing... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Book Mark
Jewels best by far
Originally released in 1995 and then re-released in 1997 this album is full of beautiful moments which unfortunately Jewel has failed to reproduce with her subsequent albums. Read more
Published on 21 July 2009 by Victoria Brodie
amazing
This album has been my rock forever Foolish games has gotten me through a great deal and I even used one of her songs for my wedding dance. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2008 by Eithne Gallagher
Spellbinding
The first time I heard Jewel was on daytime TV in the 90s. I took the day off work as I wasn't feeling very well. Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2007 by Mark R. Bannister
Just magical
The whole CD is beautiful but "Foolish Games" is just a master piece!One of the best musics ever made!
Published on 24 July 2006 by Isabel Fernandes
Pieces of Us
I've had this cd and Spirit for a good few years now but have never really known how to describe or quantify it for review purposes. Read more
Published on 12 May 2006 by duirsgrove
True Jewel
This is an absolutely amazing album. Jewel in her very own style of a sort of cross breed of rock and country, draws amazing lyrics and deep tunes from the deepest parts of her... Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2003 by mike chiverton
Delicate songs with a brutal honesty - a brilliant debut!
By complete chance I happened to come home after a night out to flick the TV on to a profile of Jewel. Read more
Published on 22 Mar 2003
Jewel a special sound
The first album by this artist sold me to the quality of all her music. I have been amazed by the amount of depth and personal beauty she has shared with her listeners. Read more
Published on 1 Jun 2002
What more could I say than FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!
This album is the work of a true angel. Every song has so much feeling and passion, it still gives me goosebumps after listening to it for two years. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2001 by michellenemeth99@hotmail.com
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