Jewel - This Way

Jewel came dangerously close to drowning in her own solemnity and good intentions with her second album, so it comes as a great relief that This Way, her third effort, finds her lightening up and sharpening her focus, creating an album that never feels as somber or polished as Spirit. In fact, it's her first genuine step forward, since it finds her enhancing the latent folk and country influences in her music, attempting to add grit to her songs and performances, while retaining the pop sense of Pieces of You's studiocraft that made Spirit a more sonically satisfying record than her debut. Consequently, this is probably the best record she has cut to date, even if she still is very quick to indulge in silly, naïve lyrics (it's not just her save-the-world sentiments -- who on god's green earth has pictures of Randy Newman strewn across the floor?). Nevertheless, Jewel sounds looser, more comfortable than she ever has, and the music matches her attitude. The same problems may still remain, but her strengths have been enhanced and, at its best, This Way offers some fine, sweet adult alternative folk-pop -- maybe it has some dull stretches, and maybe she still takes herself a bit too seriously, but it's a classy adult pop record all the same. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Umstead Strings Anthony LaMarchina Strings B. James Lowry Guitar (Acoustic) Bekka Bramlett Vocals (Background) Beth Beeson Strings Bob Mason Strings Bruce Christensen Strings Calvin Smith Strings Carl Gorodetzky Contractor, Strings Cate Myer Strings Catherine Umstead Strings Chad Farmer Art Direction Chris McHugh Drums Chris Rodrigues Vocals (Background) Connie Ellisor Strings Craig Young Bass Dan Digmore Guitar (Steel) Dann Huff Producer, Guitar (Electric) Dave Angell Strings David Bryant Assistant Engineer David Lyndon Huff Programming Doug Sax Mastering Ellen Von Unwerth Photography Eric Darken Percussion Gary VanOsdale Strings Gene Miller Vocals (Background) George Tidwell Trumpet Gerald Greer Strings Glenn Wanner Strings Gloria Gabriel A&R Gordon Kennedy Guitar (Electric) J.T. Corenflos Guitar (Electric) Jackie Street Bass Janet Askey Strings Jed Hackett Assistant Engineer Jeff Balding Mixing, Engineer Jerry McPherson Guitar (Electric) Jewel Producer Jewel Kilcher Producer Jimmie Lee Sloas Bass John Kurzweg Producer, Engineer John Willis Guitar (Acoustic) Jonathan Yudkin Mandolin, Cello, Fiddle Joy Worland Strings Julie Tanner Strings Karen Winkelmann Strings Kathryn Plummer Strings Kenny Greenberg Guitar (Electric) Lee Larrison Strings Lenedra Carroll Executive Producer Lisa Cochran Vocals (Background) Lynn Bloom Strings Mark Goldenberg Arranger Mary Kathryn Vanosdale Strings Mike "Frog" Griffith Production Coordination Monisa Angell Strings Pamela Sixfin Strings Paul Franklin Guitar (Steel) Robert Hadley Mastering Roger Spencer Strings Ron Shapiro Executive Producer Ronn Huff Conductor, String Arrangements Steve Brewster Drums Steve Nathan Keyboards Tedd T. Programming Tim Akers Keyboards Wayne Rodrigues Drum Programming