- Down to Earth (Jem album)
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Down to Earth 
Studio album by Jem Released September 16, 2008
(see release history)Recorded 2006 – 2008 in Detroit and Los Angeles Genre Trip hop, electronica, pop rock, folk, New Wave Length 48:24 (CD version)
52:00 (with iTunes bonus track)Label ATO Producer Jem, Greg Kurstin, Lester Mendez, Jeff Bass, Mike Bradford, Kevin Beber Jem chronology Finally Woken
(2004)Down to Earth
(2008)Upcoming piano album
(TBA)Singles from Down to Earth - "It's Amazing"
Released: 3 June 2008 - "Crazy"
Released: 26 August 2008 - "And So I Pray"
Released: 26 May 2009 - "I Want You To..."
Released: 26 October 2009
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic 
[1]ArtofRhyme (3.75/5)[2] Billboard (positive)[3] Digital Spy [4]The Guardian [5]MusicOMH.com [6]Paste (61/100)[7] The Phoenix 
[8]The Times [9]Down to Earth is the second album by Jem, the follow-up to her successful 2004 debut, Finally Woken. The first single, "It's Amazing", was featured on the soundtrack to the Sex and the City movie. In August 2008, "Crazy" was released as a single on iTunes and other digital music outlets. By January 2009, "Keep On Walking" was distributed as a free iTunes download at U.S. Starbucks stores.
The press release states that Jem co-wrote the album with a variety of people including Jeff Bass, Lester Mendez and Greg Kurstin and sings in Japanese on the track, "Aciiid!". The album also includes a collaboration with South African singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela on the track "You Will Make It" recalling 9/11, and dealing with the suffering of loss. The album entered the Billboard 200 at #43, selling 10,642 copies.
Jem wrote in her blog on 20 September 2008:
“ On this note, I'd like to apologize to everyone outside of the US as you might have noticed the album has not been released at the same time. It has been slightly delayed which was not intended and is not ideal but it's out of my hands (politics again, yawn…I probably shouldn't have called it my 'Empire Strikes Back' from the beginning, that's dark shit man..!) ” Contents
Title
In September 2008, Jem's official website stated the following about the album title:
“ Down To Earth, also implies, Jem remains grounded. Perhaps that has something to do with her early experiences behind-the-scenes....,/But mostly, it stems from the fact that her prime motivation remains the joy of writing, recording, and performing music. Everything else is gravy./One last thought on that album title: No matter how rapturous a reception she receives, Jem shows no interest in the fame game. ” Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Down to Earth" Jem Griffiths, Jeff Bass, Justin Griffiths 4:34 2. "Crazy" Jem Griffiths, Jeff Bass 3:39 3. "I Want You To..." Jem Griffiths, Lester Mendez, Lucas MacFadden 3:39 4. "It's Amazing" Lester Mendez, Jem Griffiths 3:58 5. "Keep On Walking" Jem Griffiths, Jeff Bass 4:12 6. "You Will Make It (featuring Vusi Mahlasela)" Jem Griffiths, Justin Griffiths 6:12 7. "I Always Knew" Lester Mendez, Jem Griffiths 3:10 8. "Got It Good" Jem Griffiths, Jeff Bass 4:27 9. "Aciiid!" Greg Kurstin, Jem Griffiths 2:57 10. "How Would You Like It" Jem Griffiths, Justin Griffiths 4:02 11. "And So I Pray" Jem Griffiths, Kevin Beber 2:42 12. "On Top of the World" Lester Mendez, Jem Griffiths 4:52 iTunes Bonus No. Title Writer(s) Length 13. "Forever and a Day" Jem Griffiths 3:46 Personnel
- Hiroko Aoyagi – vocals
- Jeff Atmajian – piano, string arrangements, piano arrangement
- Jeff Bass – bass, guitar, keyboards, producer, drum programming, tracked by
- Kevin Beber – drum programming
- Brian Berryman – engineer, fader engineer
- Mick Bolger – trombone, trumpet, euphonium, mellophonium, E flat cornet
- Mike Bradford – producer, string arrangements, instrumentation
- Del Casher – sounds
- Bryan Cook – engineer
- Nick Cuchinella – trombone
- Nabil Elderkin – photography
- Johnny Evans – saxophone
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Jem Griffiths – vocals, producer, vocal engineer, poetry reading
- Justin Griffiths – acoustic guitar
- John Hanes – mixing
- Mark Aaron James – design
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Shinobu Lee – vocals
- David Levita – acoustic guitar, guitar
- Lester Mendez – piano, producer, string arrangements, brass arrangement, instrumentation
- Monica Mendez – sound design
- Milan, Derrick & The Krew – chorus
- Eddie Miller – vocal engineer
- Rafael Padilla – percussion
- Phillip Ramos – studio assistant
- Tim Roberts – mixing assistant
- Ken Robinson – trumpet
- Sonus – strings
- Welsh Choir Of Southern California – chorus
- Joe Wohlmuth – engineer
Charts
Chart (2008) Peak
PositionU.S. Billboard 200 48 Chart (2009) Peak
positionUK Albums Chart[10][11] 64 Release history
Country Date United States September 16, 2008 Canada Japan Ireland January 30, 2009 United Kingdom February 2, 2009 Europe Sweden February 4, 2009 Portugal February 16, 2009 Poland Denmark February 23, 2009 Germany February 27, 2009 Austria Netherlands Switzerland Norway March 2, 2009 France March 3, 2009 Finland March 4, 2009 Italy March 6, 2009 References
External links
- Jem-Music.net — Jem official website
- Jem on MySpace
- "It's Amazing" official music video on YouTube
Studio albums Finally Woken (2004) · Down to Earth (2008)EPs It All Starts Here... (2003)Singles "They" · "Just a Ride" · "Wish I" · "24" · "It's Amazing" · "Crazy" · "And So I Pray" · "I Want You To..."Categories:- 2008 albums
- Albums produced by Greg Kurstin
- ATO Records albums
- Jem albums
- "It's Amazing"
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