Album of the Day

In the wake of a smash debut, Jewel Kilcher's second album was among the most anticipated of the decade, and SPIRIT did not disappoint. The 1998 Atlantic collection glows with the same beautiful voice, heartfelt poetry and appealing melodies that had won the singer-songwriter millions of fans three years earlier, but the production here (by Peter Collins and Patrick Leonard) frames these virtues with much more professional polish than did PIECES OF YOU. Singles “Hands,” “Down So Long” and “Jupiter” were certainly highlights, but the title of another song, “What's Simple Is True,” may better explain what made this set another multi-platinum hit. If Jewel's success was part of the '90s wave of “women in rock” (she was a headliner at Lilith Fair 20 years ago today), it's the directness and honesty of SPIRIT that continues to resonate.