Down to Earth

by Jem

Overview

Is Jem a club-ready electronica chanteuse or an easygoing adult contemporary artist? It's difficult to tell on Down to Earth, which furthers the dual personality first shown on Jem's 2004 debut. The refusal to settle on one style often serves Jem well, however, and Down to Earth features a bevy of producers who lend their unique approach to each track. Having created diverse sonic stews for Lily Allen and Kylie Minogue -- not to mention his own project, the Bird and the Bee -- Greg Kurstin stops by to helm "Aciiid!," a synth-driven dance track sung partially in Japanese. Elsewhere, hip-hop producer Jeff Bass (who, along with his brother, helped launch Eminem's career) mashes banjo riffs with funk horns on "Crazy," and Lester Mendez (famous for his work with such Latin artists as Santana, Shakira, and Nelly Furtado) employs spoken word samples from West Side Story during the Spanish-tinged "I Want You To...." Those energetic tracks are some of the album's highlights, but they go head to head with songs like "Got It Good," "And So I Pray," and "On Top of the World," all of which are the stuff of lite FM radio stations. Ultimately, the eclecticism shown within Jem's songs may well be a detriment to the album as a whole, since Down to Earth's mix of producers and genres lacks cohesion. It's also worth noting that nothing here is as immediately ingratiating as "They," and while "It's Amazing" (another Mendez vehicle) does feature a similar chorus -- complete with descending minor chords and repeated iterations of the title -- it can't match the original's spunk and spark. Down to Earth's title depicts Jem as a grounded musician, but its wide-ranging sound suggests something different, as the singer has yet to find a style that fully suits her capabilities. Fortunately, her search for the perfect genre still yields some enjoyable songs, as shown by this album's handful of standout tracks. ~ Andrew Leahey

Product Details

Release Date:	09/16/2008
Label:	Ato
UPC:	0880882163525

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Down to Earth
2. Crazy
3. I Want You to...
4. It's Amazing
5. Keep on Walking
6. You Will Make It
7. I Always Knew
8. Got It Good
9. Aciiid!
10. How Would You Like It
11. And So I Pray
12. On Top of the World

Disc 2

13. And So I Pray
14. ¿¿couter

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jem   Primary Artist
Carmen Rizzo   Primary Artist
Vusi Mahlasela   Primary Artist
Shinobu Lee   Vocals
Nick Cuchinella   Trombone
Milan, Derrick & The Krew   Choir/Chorus
Justin Griffiths   Guitar (Acoustic)
Greg Kurstin   Featured Artist
David Levita   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic)
Sonus   Strings
Jeff Bass   Bass,Guitar,Keyboards
Mick Bolger   Trumpet,Trombone,Euphonium,Mellophonium,E Flat Cornet
Lester Mendez   Piano
Rafael Padilla   Percussion
Jeff Atmajian   Piano
Hiroko Aoyagi   Vocals
Ken Robinson   Trumpet
Welsh Choir Of Southern California   Choir/Chorus
Johnny Evans   Saxophone
Jem Griffiths   Vocals

Technical Credits

Justin Griffiths   Composer
Carmen Rizzo   Composer
Greg Kurstin   Composer
Serban Ghenea   Mixing
Ted Jensen   Mastering
Kevin Beber   Composer,Drum Programming
Eddie Miller   Vocal Engineer
John Hanes   Mixing
Jeff Bass   Composer,Producer,Tracked By,Audio Production,Drum Programming
Jem   Composer,Audio Production
Tim Roberts   Mixing Assistant
Joe Wohlmuth   Engineer
Jamie Muhoberac   Composer
Lester Mendez   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation,Brass Arrangement,String Arrangements
Mike Bradford   Producer,Instrumentation,String Arrangements
Bryan Cook   Engineer
Phillip Ramos   Studio Assistant
Jeff Atmajian   Piano Arrangement,String Arrangements
Del Casher   Sounds
Brian Berryman   Engineer,Fader Engineer
Monica Mendez   Sound Design
Jem Griffiths   Composer,Producer,Poetry Reading,Vocal Engineer
Nabil Elderkin   Photography
Carmen Puig   Performer
Mark Aaron James   Design