Search - Jem :: Down to Earth

(Unbelievably) even better than her first album

Brian Smith | West Chester, OH USA | 09/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't review too many CDs because it's just hard to describe music. But, every once in a while a new artists or a CD will come along that I feel compelled to share with anyone who will listen. A couple of years ago someone on Last.FM recommended Jem to me. I had never heard of her. I'm not sure how many of you have. I bought the CD and was immediately hooked. I couldn't wait for another one to come out. You have to understand that as an old geezer now, I've turned into one of those people who complain that all the music "the kids" listen now-a-days is garbage. It all sounds alike and none of it's worth listening to. Not back like in our day. It takes a special artist to wake me out of my musical funk and stop playing all the oldies from the 70s and 80s. Jem is one of those artists. Her first album "Finally Woken" was phenomenal. I like artists who write their own songs and I pay a lot of attention to lyrics. Jem's songs are not only musically appealing. But, her lyrics are uplifting and thought-provoking. I like her view of the world. I could go on about her first album. But, as good as that one was, her sophomore effort "Down to Earth" is even better.



Jem has a slightly husky voice that is just as enjoyable on an up-beat dance tune as it is on a moving ballad. This album is very varied in style but does not come off as disjointed. There are so many CDs now where even after several listens, I can barely tell one song from another. The picture Jem paints with with this CD uses the full palette of colors, not just many shades of the same color.



Down To Earth- is a song sung by an extraterrestrial Jem who is looking at humanity and who is saddened that we are so disconnected from each other, missing our potential and not getting the joy out of life that we should be getting. The guitar work sounds slightly Middle Eastern and there's just enough strings to make the song musically interesting.



Crazy- really turns the beat around. The song rocks with a funky banjo and a dance beat. Jem is telling a boyfriend who is making her crazy that he's simply not welcome anymore and to hit the road. Nothing deep about this song. Just a "Hit the Road Jack" for the year 2008.



I Want You To.. - Gets all Spanish on you with the guitar work, the beat and the spoken Spanish intro. This is a simple feel good song about just getting to know Jem (and her body). Very sexy. Very appealing.



It's Amazing- It's definite got a "Jem sound". A little bit of classical piano mixed in with some drum machines. A great song about just how great it feels to be alive.



Keep On Walking- opens with a blues/gospel riff from a female vocalist. Not much in the way of lyrics. Just about the need to keep moving forward through life and asking God for strength.



You Will Make It- This one is a real tearjerker. Just Jem and a piano at the beginning. Later a cello joins her and there is an African chant. A song to someone who has lost someone dear to death and picking up the pieces and the grieving process. Ends with a spoken word promise that none of us really dies. Really beautiful song.



I Always Knew- Jem thumbing her nose at those in the music industry who would have kept her down and how she always knew she would one day be where she is. Great juxtaposition between a nursery rhyme kind of rhythm and almost hip-hop bravado lyrics. Music almost has the feel of "They" from her first album.



Got It Good- Another song about just how good life is. Are you start to pick up on the theme of this album?



Aciid- Jem decides on this song to just jam. Great dance beat. Heavy synth drums. Jem chants. Very reminiscent of Tom Tom Club (if you're old enough to remember them).



How Would You Like It?- OK. Back to the heavy stuff here (as in the subject of the song, not the music). Great song about racial prejudice. Basically telling telling racists to stop talking to her assuming she'll agree with just because she's white.



And So I Pray- Facing the troubles of the world, Jem prays for a better day. Wishes she could escape but this is where she is for now. The melody is a little reminiscent of Warren Zevon's Tenderness on the Block



On Top Of the World- opens with a choir humming and the sound of the ocean pounding the shore. Then joined by a piano with another kind of lilting melody. The song has an almost meditative feel and matches the lyrics which are about really being "present" and not letting the little things get you down."

A step back for the promising Jem

alex bushman | Michigan | 05/05/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The talented Jem disappoints with her second outing as she seems to recede into her more softspoken nature with this one. Don't get me wrong, she was never a screamer or caterwauler, but even when she chastizes people about their expectations for her and that she didn't get into show business to be unpleasant, she does so with a musical force that's rather unimpressive. Whereas before her musical older sister seemed to be Beth Orton, now it seems to be Dido and in each case she could learn much from the approaches of both in making a better record. Her last record was good in that it showed lyrical and melodic gifts alongside genuine innocence and aggression (musically). Here, her production is so bland and her choice to go more electronic just makes the record slide by without any quality moments to chew on. It's not bad, but it also doesn't rise above the production even when she makes interesting choices musically within the bland environment. It's a shame since I've seen her twice and she seemed to be taking more of a rock/pop direction with the last concert I saw and not this one. Needless to say, she was much more natural sounding in that setting and here I feel she's so comfortable she disappears into the mix instead of gently commanding it."

Very good sophmore effort

Kenneth Schaeffer | Indiana, PA | 06/03/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I gave this album 4 stars only because I am comparing it to Jem's first. On it's own, it may merit 5.



The thing I miss most on this cd compared to the first is what I like to refer to as the haunting sound of her voice. On this cd she seemed to go a little more pop.



I am not going to go through the tracks because I think that they are all equally good. But I will say that the song "You will make it." is very inspirational to anyone that has lost a loved one.



Good Cd. Looking forward to her next."