Goodbye Alice in Wonderland is the sixth studio album by singer-songwriter Jewel, released on May 2, 2006, through Atlantic Records. The album marks a return to her musical roots after 0304, and trying to write an autobiographical album like she did with Pieces of You. The album was written in the form of a novel with each track representing a chapter.[1] Singles released from the album were "Again and Again", "Good Day", and "Stephenville, TX".
The album made its debut at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, with sales of 82,000 copies its first week, and became Jewel's fifth top 10 album in the United States. It has sold 377,000 copies in the U.S. as of June 2010.[2]
Background
After exploring dance-pop on 2003's 0304, Jewel made a return to form with "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland".[3] Jewel said the album was "the most autobiographical album" she made since Pieces of You.[3] Each song was recorded as a live performance, with only percussion overdubbed.[4]
Atlantic Records opted not to renew her contract at the end of 2006, and Goodbye Alice in Wonderland would be her final album of new material with them.
Songs
"It tells the story of my life from Alaska to being homeless to that little bottle that said 'Drink me,' which was my career,".
The first song and lead single "Again and Again" is a "slick, radio-ready ditty as vacuous as it is catchy", according to Slant's Preston Jones.[5] "Long Slow Slide" shows a sensitive folkie side.[6] "Growing up is not an absence of dreaming," she states on the title track "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland".[6] Slant's Preston Jones wrote that it "feels naggingly familiar, as though Jewel mined her back catalog to rework a lesser-known song."[5] The fourth track and second single "Good Day" opens with her standing in front of her fridge at midnight, drawling: "I might make a wish – if I believed in that shit."[7] On the fifth track "Satellite", written when she was 18, she notes that "the Pope," "rock and roll," "Valium," even "Miss Cleo" can't fix her broken heart.[6]
The sixth track "Only One Too" was released as the third single of the album and a remixes EP was released on October 10, 2006, featuring 5 remixes.[8] "Fragile Heart" is originally featured on 0304. While the musical arrangement was more pop oriented in the original release, the new version leans more folk.[9]
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 given to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 57, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[10]Allmusic's editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave to the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, writing that the album "may have an entirely different feel and intent than its glitzy predecessor, but like 0304 (2003), it is proof that even if Jewel doesn't have as high a profile, or perhaps as large an audience, as she did in 1996, she's a better songwriter and record-maker than she was at the outset of her career."[3] Gordon Agar from Observer Music Monthly wrote that the producer Rob Cavallo added "a colourful Lilith to Jewel's often shrill soprano" and called the album "lovely."[12] While Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian called the album "A surprisingly substantial return."[7] Kathleen C. Fennessy from Amazon wrote that "maturity has granted Jewel, now in her early 30s, greater perspective and a sense of humor missing from her more earnest early work."[6]
Catie James from Blogcritics wrote a mixed review, writing that "the problem with Alice is a case of the music overwhelming the lyrics in most of the album’s songs."[9] Edd Hurt from Paste Magazine gave to the album 2.5 out of 5 stars, stating that "Jewel never appears to be going through the motions—her grasp of pop form is as compelling as her voice, which shades from callow to knowing to heroic with her unique, troubled aplomb."[13] In contrast, Ayo Jegede from Stylus Magazine wrote "we find Jewel going through the motions rather than providing us with a noteworthy movement and in the end these songs here are less artistic pronouncements and more the conclusion of a specific product line."[15] Preston Jones from Slant Magazine wrote "while Goodbye Alice In Wonderland is a return to form for Jewel, said form is bland, mostly colorless, and devoid of any truly memorable cuts."[5] Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone wrote "it might keep Jewel on the charts, but its bright come-ons sound both overdone and undercooked."[14]
Commercial performance
Goodbye Alice in Wonderland debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 82,000 copies, continuing a string of top ten releases, only broken by her ninth studio album Sweet and Wild (2010).[16] It has sold 377,000 copies in the U.S. as of June 2010.[2]
