Jem - Finally Woken

Ok, so I'm glad to have this opportunity to amend my earlier ambivalence toward Jem. For the first time I can remember, the album was actually better than the EP! Maybe it's because she put five songs on the EP that really didn't go together necessarily? Not sure what the deal was, but the tracks added to the full-length are strong additions to Jem's already impressive repertoire and flesh it out nicely. The bouncy, wistful "Wish I" tells the story of someone being left behind but trying to be supportive of the one chasing their dreams while reminding them that they always have a place to come home to. "Missing You" is a classic, beautiful love-lost song, and "Falling For You" expresses the fear and cynicism we all feel at the edge of a new relationship: "Just wish I had a crystal ball to show me if it's worth it all." Strongest of the tracks on Finally Woken in my opinion is "24." This is a song she had to wrestle from her brother to record, and I'm glad she won that battle. "24" is a rock song that combines seeming oddly paired violin and guitar, strengthening the impact of both. There are so many different types of music on the record, from rock to dance to pop to ballad. She didn’t see the point in limiting herself to one style, and I think the effect is an album that certainly isn’t dull. However, you may find that one or two of the songs, no matter what your preference, might not be your cup of tea. Jem's songs are refreshingly honest and pure. She expresses universal themes with her lyrics and tells stories in the tradition of her Welsh heritage. And while she's been endlessly compared to Dido in the press, I stick with my opinion that Jem makes music with more depth, more..."oomph" than Dido ever dreamed of. I think she could be a big deal, and with a video on the way in the near future for "They," she could be poised to take the video generation by storm. [www.jem-music.net]