This came out in 2001 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
This Way is definitely the way to go for Jewel Kilcher.
After the confining seriousness and studio polish of 1998’s Spirit, the third full-length from the Alaska-raised singer-songwriter finds her loosening and lightening up, adding a touch of rootsy grit to her folk-and-country-based songs while maintaining a distinctly pop sensibility a la Sheryl Crow or Bonnie Raitt. Religion and romance are the themes running through the disc, and while you have to applaud Jewel for having the social conscience to tackle topics like abortion and gender politics, her lyrics can come off somewhat naive at times — or do most 27-year-old women still refer to women’s breasts as “ta-tas?” Ah well, one thing at a time. At least This Way is a step in the right direction.
