Jem: Finally Woken

It'll be hard for you to believe, I know, but Jem came to my attention by way of my friend Sean. Yes, another album he made me aware of. Go fig.

Getting past that, my first impressions were ones of enjoyment, of being impressed, and being curious where she'll go next.

The album plays with interesting sonic accompaniments to Jem's sweet, sometimes smokey/jazzy vocals, and the end result is something beautiful and fun.

Yes, fun. Some of the songs have a certain playful tone to them, such as Finally Woken and Wish I.

On other tunes, there's almost a sense of urgency in the music, the lyrics. 24 and Falling For You immediately spring to mind.

Turn your listening skills to 11 on the following tunes: Come On Closer, Finally Woken, Just A Ride (whose lyrics should be listened to by all), and Flying High (where Jem is not accompanied by any electronica, just studio instruments).

In The End: Yes, this is a few years old. That doesn't make it any less enjoyable. Jem's sweet vocal talents, the album's excellent production, and the track order all make this album work just right.

On the Web: The Hype Machine comes through again with a number of great tracks, including Just A Ride.

Technorati Tagged: Jem | Electronica | Female Vocalists