Jewel - Standing Still

Jewel Not 'Standing Still' On New Album


MTV extract - Jewel will return to record stores in November with "This Way", a new album she describes as eclectic, raw and packed with love songs

The Alaskan singer/songwriter's last full-fledged album of original songs, 1998's Spirit, packed synthesizers and other pop slickness onto the homespun acoustic sound of her debut, 1995's Pieces of You. This time, it seems, Jewel was looking for some middle ground.

"I really wanted to do an eclectic record, a record that stayed raw and didn't become slick or really overproduced," she said backstage at this month's MTV Video Music Awards.

The album isn't due until November 13 (US), but Jewel has already shot a video for the album's first single, "Standing Still," with director Darren Grant (Destiny's Child, Aaliyah). The song, which is just beginning to get radio play, combines melancholy lyrics with music Jewel pegged as "peppy."

"It's sort of about being on the road and doing a show and about missing someone," she said. "My boyfriend got to be in [the video], so I was excited." The video is due out soon, according to Atlantic Records.