American singer Jewel released a new album entitled Freewheelin’ Woman. The themes are Love/Self Love and woman empowerment.
The music is Pop, Folk and Country. The album has a 70s vibe that parallels the works of the late Loretta Lynn. The melody is rhythmic. The guitar, a popular instrument of Country-style music, and the piano give the record a dynamic feel. The compositions represent a ray of emotions depending on the subject.
The album consists primarily of incredible ballads, including Dancing Slow feat. Train, No More Tears feat. Darius Rucker and Grateful. The first song on the album, Long Way ‘Round, has an impressive mix of musical styles: Jazz, Country and Pop. It reminds me of Jann Arden and Alanis Morissette’s music from the 90s. The piece Dancing Slow feat. Train (Shania Twain’s Honey, I’m Home) has an incredible guitar beat. The song Grateful also has an impressive guitar solo in the background. The rhythm is remarkably gradient, representing various emotions. Half-Life has an excellent wavy beat. The gradual tempo increases from fast to then suddenly slow down is bold. The tune Almost has a beautiful slow guitar beat. It parallels Country songs from Faith Hill, especially her works from the late 90s. The song No More Tears (feat. Darius Rucker) has excellent piano playing in the background. The rhythm of this tune is dynamic and slow but occasionally eclectic. The piece When You Loved Me has heavy music to represent the woman’s pain when she realizes the love is no longer there. The tune Nothing But Love has a smooth and flowy rhythm expressing that love pushes darkness and negativity away.
There are fast-paced songs with catchy music. The tune Alibis has a fantastic combination of fast and slow rhythms. The piece Dance Sing Laugh Love has an incredible group of musicians, including drums. The music is upbeat and cheerful, which puts a smile on one’s face. The song Living With Your Memory has a fantastic old-fashioned beat that parallels sounds from a Jazz Club. The song Love Wins has a rhythm that parallels Billy Idol’s 80s hits Mony Mony and a couple of David Bowie’s hits Modern Love and Golden Years. It has a fantastic mix of the 70s/80s rhythms with contemporary beats.
The music has an impressive blend of musical styles that further the story of each song according to the emotions.
Jewel’s voice is soulful and rhythmic. She sings each song according to the emotion(s) with precision and style. There are two fantastic duets: Dancing Slow (feat. Train) and No More Tears (feat. Darius Rucker). In both duets, the combination of voices is complementary to one another. Jewel has a remarkable richness in her voice.
The lyrics are poetic and profound, full of heart and soul. The songs cover a range of stories and adventures, including love stories. The same goes for the emotions in each tune, including a sense of hope. The words are empowering through rich language and poetry.
Some songs cover the topic of life’s journey in its various aspects. Long Way ‘Round is an inspirational song about getting to know oneself through life’s up and downs. It teaches the lesson of trusting the journey no matter where life takes us. The piece Grateful is poetic and inspirational. There’s a beautiful, positive message of learning and practicing to focus on the positive, shifting away from negativity. The sun is a perfect symbol of brightness and gratitude. There’s one that tells a story. The song Half-Life is a touching and sad song about a woman, wife and mother whose life doesn’t feel complete. It ends with an outro saying, “Sally came home today,” an open ending, allowing listeners to interpret it as they wish.
There are quite a few romantic and sweet songs. The piece Dancing Slow (feat. Train) is a heartwarming Western-style love story. It represents the beautiful journey of love. The song Dance Sing Laugh Love is touching and sweet honouring love and living life to the fullest, not taking oneself too seriously. The tune Love Wins is an inspirational song about how love conquers all. It’s also a sweet love story. The piece Nothing But Love is full of hope that love will prevail no matter what obstacles may occur. These tunes are inspirational.
Other songs cover the subject of breakups and life after a separation. The tune Alibis has an incredible message of a young woman having the courage to end a negative relationship. The song Almost is a heartbreaking story of the aftermath of a breakup in which the woman is trying to figure out what more she could’ve done, feeling as though she felt short. The piece Living With Your Memory is a nostalgic tune where a young lady remembers a past love, possibly for a while. It’s a different way to talk about life after a breakup. No More Tears (feat Darius Rucker) is a hopeful song about not giving up even during heartbreak and hardships. The words are rich, soulful and profound. The tune When You Loved Me is painful and heartbreaking when a woman realizes her relationship is over. The emotions are so raw and deep.
Each song has lyrics that tell incredible stories with great depth and feeling.
The album Freewheelin’ Woman is available.
