Pieces of You is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Jewel, released on February 28, 1995 by Atlantic Records. The album was produced by Ben Keith, who has also produced works for artists such as Neil Young and Patsy Cline.
Though it made little impact initially, the single "Who Will Save Your Soul" eventually received airplay and the album peaked at #4 on Billboard 200 almost exactly two years after its release. Other hits included were "Foolish Games" and "You Were Meant for Me" as well as the UK single "Morning Song". After two years, the album was re-released featuring the re-recorded versions of "You Were Meant for Me" and "Foolish Games". Despite a mixed critical response, the album is listed at number 64 of the "Definitive 200" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[1]
As of 2010, the album had sold 7.3 million copies in US.[2] It was certified 12x Platinum for shipments of 12 million copies in the U.S.,[3] making it one of the best selling debut albums of all time.[4]
Background
The bulk of the songs featured on Pieces of You were written by Kilcher between the ages of sixteen and nineteen; she has said that "Who Will Save Your Soul" specifically was written while she was busking during a hitchhiking trip she took by herself over spring break from the Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she had been studying on a vocal scholarship.[5]
While living in San Diego, California, Kilcher managed to amass a local following while performing in coffee houses and local bars, which resulted in a bootleg being broadcast on 91X FM.[5] Kilcher then became subject of a bidding war between labels, eventually signing with Atlantic Records.[5]
Recording
Several tracks on Pieces of You were recorded live in 1994 at the Innerchange, a San Diego coffeehouse where Kilcher was a regular performer. The remainder of the album was recorded in Neil Young's studio at Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California, under the supervision of producer Ben Keith.
Reception
Upon its initial release in 1995, the album received little attention, after which Kilcher was invited to tour as the opener for Bob Dylan, which helped garner more public attention.[5] Two of the album's singles were re-recorded for a 1997 re-release of the album.
David Browne of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a negative review upon its 1997 re-release, noting, "Pieces of You remains a wimpily produced batch of songs — so ineffectual that both ”Who Will Save Your Soul?” and ”You Were Meant for Me” had to be rerecorded for release as singles. It’s best considered as a guided tour through three decades of female folk-pop styles," comparing it negatively to Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush.[10] Robert Christgau also gave the album a starkly negative review, writing: "With the possible exception of Saint Joan, who at least had some stature, this is the bad folkie joke to end all bad folkie jokes."[9]
Sarah Sytsma of AllMusic gave the album a positive review, calling it "a charming collection of light alternative folk-rock from the teenage singer/songwriter. Her songs are occasionally naive, but her melodies can usually save her lyrics."[8]
Track listing
|
| 1. | "Who Will Save Your Soul" | Jewel Kilcher | 4:00 |
| 2. | "Pieces of You" | Kilcher | 4:15 |
| 3. | "Little Sister" | Kilcher | 2:29 |
| 4. | "Foolish Games" | Kilcher | 5:39 |
| 5. | "Near You Always" | Kilcher | 3:08 |
| 6. | "Painters" | Kilcher | 6:43 |
| 7. | "Morning Song" | Kilcher | 3:35 |
| 8. | "Adrian" | | 7:02 |
| 9. | "I'm Sensitive" | Kilcher | 2:54 |
| 10. | "You Were Meant for Me" | | 4:13 |
| 11. | "Don't" | Kilcher | 3:34 |
| 12. | "Daddy" | Kilcher | 3:49 |
| 13. | "Angel Standing By" | Kilcher | 2:38 |
| 14. | "Amen" | Kilcher | 4:32 |
| Total length: | 58:31 |
|
|
| 15. | "Emily" | Kilcher | 3:10 |
| 16. | "Foolish Games" (edit) | Kilcher | 4:00 |
|
|
| 15. | "Emily" (from the motion picture The Crossing Guard) | Kilcher | 3:15 |
| 16. | "Rocker Girl" | Kilcher | 1:44 |
| 17. | "Everything Breaks" | Kilcher | 3:21 |
| 18. | "Cold Song" | Kilcher | 1:03 |
| 19. | "Angel Needs a Ride" | Kilcher | 4:17 |
Personnel
Production personnel
- Producer: Ben Keith
- Engineers: Tim Mulligan, John Nowland
- Assistant engineers: John Dixon, John Hausmann
- Mixing: Gene Eichelberger, Tim Mulligan, John Nowland, Joe Baldrige
- Mastering: Tim Mulligan
- A&R: Jenny Price
- Production coordination: Gena Maria Rankins
- Digital editing: Tim Mulligan
- Arrangers: Charlotte Caffey, Jewel
- Art direction: John Codling
- Photography: Hugh Hales-Tooke
Charts and certifications
End-of-year charts
| Chart (1997) |
Position |
| Australian Albums Chart[17] |
7 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart[18] |
4 |
| Chart (1998) |
Position |
| Dutch Albums Chart |
38 |
End-of-decade charts
| Chart (1990–1999) |
Position |
| U.S. Billboard 200[19] |
35 |
|
Sales and certifications
|
See also
Notes and references
Notes
- ↑ "The 200 Definitive Albums of All Time". EIL.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ↑ "Ask Billboard: Jewel...". Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ "RIAA – Searchable Database: Jewel". Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ "Jewel - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Kilcher, Jewel (March 31, 2017). "22 Minutes with Jewel" (Interview). Interview with Brigitte Quinn. CBS New York. Video on YouTube.
- 1 2 Pieces of You at AllMusic
- 1 2 Christgau, Robert (July 23, 1996). "Robert Christgau: Consumer Guide". The Village Voice.
- 1 2 Browne, David (August 15, 1997). "Pieces of You Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Retrieved January 11, 2008.
- ↑ "Jewel - New Zealand Chart Positions". charts.org.nz. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- 1 2 Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ↑ "Chart log Candy J. – JX". zobbel.de. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- 1 2 "Jewel - Artist Chart History". Allmusic. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- ↑ "Jewel – Chart history" Billboard Top Catalog Albums for Jewel.
Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1997". ARIA. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- ↑ "NZ Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1997". Retrieved January 7, 2017.
- ↑ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". Music Canada.
- ↑ "Jewel in Japan". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.
- ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". IFPI Norway. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Pieces of You in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "American album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ↑ Trust, Gary (June 18, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Jewel, Ciara, Ricky Martin". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ↑ "World's Best Selling Singles and Albums Artist". 2009. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
References
- Dodd, Peter (2004). 100 Best Selling Albums of the 90s. Barnes & Noble Books. ISBN 978-0-760-75654-6.
- Gaar, Gillian G. (2002). She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock and Roll (2nd ed.). Seal Press. ISBN 978-1-580-05078-4.
External links
|
|---|
|
| Studio albums | |
|---|
| Compilation albums | |
|---|
| Other albums | |
|---|
-
 Category
|
[8]