SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARCELLA DETROIT – JEWEL (30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

MARCELLA DETROIT
JEWEL (30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
LONDON RECORDS

Marcella Detroit has had quite a career. Born Marcy Levy, she co-wrote “Lay Down Sally” with Eric Clapton, with whom she performed for years. She has also sung with Bob Seger and Robin Gibb, as well as writing songs for many artists. She found international success as a member of Shakespears Sister. With Jewel, she exploded onto the scene with an album that was a success commercially and critically. That should have come as no surprise, as it is a brilliant album, showcasing Detroit’s numerous talents.

The album is finally receiving the deluxe treatment, and justifiably so. Along with the album being remastered, there are numerous B-sides, rare tracks and even some previously unreleased songs. All of that material is wonderful to have and adds a great deal, and the original album stands up 30 years later as an incredible example of pop meeting art. Detroit is a brilliant musician, and her voice is really second to none. She surrounded herself with a top-notch producer (Chris Thomas) and some incredible musicians, such as Phil Manzanera, Phil Spalding, and Jools Holland. But the real star here is Detroit, who, for the most part, wrote the entire album. And as a lyricist, she is outstanding. Songs like “I Believe” could be written today.

The strong lyrics in combination with an incredible melody make for perfection. It was, quite rightly, a huge hit upon release. But the other songs are strong as well. The title track, “Jewel” is a fantastic pop song, which borders on prog, with the guitar opening, but quickly goes into a full-blown rock track. But there is so much more to this album, and this new re-release allows fans to dig deep into the incredible creative work of Detroit.

Her duet with Elton John, “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” is one of the few covers on the album. Her spirited version of “I Want To Take You Higher” is spectacular and she even does a song with her husband, Lance Aston (who was a member of Prima Donna) co-wrote the wonderful “Out Of My Mind”.  With its guitar duet between Detroit and Phil Manzanera, who plays ‘backward guitar’, the song should have been a single. Her cover of “I Feel Free” (the ‘Full Cream Mix’) is a part of the bonus CD of B-sides and other interesting songs. Her original version of the song, found on CD one, is much closer to the original but still has that Detroit stamp. And given her work with Clapton, it is a wise choice for her to cover as she makes it her own while maintaining the original energy of the song.

She  does her own cover of “Lay Down Sally”, which was originally a B-side to the “I’m No Angel” single, and again, it is pure Detroit and a treat to hear.  Also included as bonus tracks are acoustic versions of some of the songs on the album. It is a trademark of a great song that the artist can play an acoustic version and have it stand up with the more produced version. Here, a song like “I’m No Angel” sounds incredible with just an acoustic guitar and Detroit’s voice. It sounds almost confessional at times. The version of “Stay (Live At Jazz Cafe 1994) is another highlight of the bonus material. In her hands, the song is stripped down, and one can hear the melancholy and fear in the song. It is breathtaking.

Jewel is an absolute gem and an important album—important because it gave Detroit the confidence to launch her spectacular solo career and paved the way for many other songs and albums from Detroit. It showcased her writing and performing abilities and demonstrated that as a solo artist, she had and has a great deal to offer. Her solo career spans 30 years and shows no signs of stopping. The album has allowed Detroit to step out into the spotlight and show what she can do. It is a good time to put Jewel back on the turntable or your CD player and enjoy the music all over again.

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