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Serve the Ego

Jewel - Serve the Ego Audio CD

A fair review of the Jewel "Serve the Ego" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Jewel reviews here, or go back to the Jewel tabs.

Band: Jewel
Title: Serve the Ego
Rating:

Release Date: 2002-09-24
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Serve the Ego [Hani Num Club Mix] 2: Serve the Ego [Mike Rizzo Club Mix] 3: Serve the Ego [Wayne Rodriguez Club Mix] 4: Serve the Ego [Gabriel & Dresden Club Mix] 5: Serve the Ego [Hani Num Dub] 6: Serve the Ego [Wayne Rodriguez Dub Mix] 7: Serve the Ego [Mike Rizzo Dub Mix] 8: Serve the Ego [Gabriel & Dresden Flashback]

"Oh no, yesterday's lover..."
This was the first time folk/pop singer Jewel experimented with different sounds. Jewel - Serve the Ego is a hot dance track pre-0304 era. This song can be found on Jewel's third album, This Way (Jewel's best album so far). Serve the Ego has a middle eastern influence over a cool dance beat. This import contains many remixes - I love them all! Jewel is the best.

Not what I expected
I don't know what I was expecting when I got this, but am a Jewel fan and thought it was just different versions of her "Serve the Ego" single. I was very disappointed with this, but gave it 3 stars because it's probably my fault for not listening to the samples or reading the description closely enough. It is, but they're dance club mixes, and I can't see why anyone would enjoy listening to this CD unless they're on the dancefloor or at a club. The tracks are all repetitive and pretty much all sound the same to me. All drum beats with her lyrics every couple of minutes.

I don't want to fault the CD since I'm not a fan of dance mixes and can't judge whether this is a good one or not since I don't know what constitutes a "good" dance mix, but buyer beware, this CD will likely appeal more to the techno dance crowd than to Jewel fans.

Jewel - Serve The Ego
The song itself, in my opinion, makes no sense at all, but this single, is pure goodness for the club-goer and/or DJ. Jewel's 2001 #1 Dance Chart hit, "Serve The Ego" is a huge departure from Jewel's usual road down Music Lane. The remixes themselves bring new vibes and grooves to the dance floor and a new style as well. This single is well worth the buy, 8 tracks of pure dance hits. Here's the tracks, step-by-step :

1. 1 . Hani Num Club Mix (9:12) - I like this remix very much. It's not my favorite, by far, but it's still enjoyable. Hani cut the vocals by much and the mix is mostly based on the vocal effects and back beats behind them. It's a long mix, and it doesn't really seem like it's a drag, but it's just too long. Enjoyable, but way too long for the style of it. - 4/5 - B+

2 . Mike Rizzo Club Mix (8:17) - This is better. It's got a very tribal-sound to it yet still enjoyable. The bassline is killer kicking in at exactly 0:30 seconds. This mix features full vocals but the chorus for some reason seems changed, or resung for some odd reason. The entire mix is great, the synths are killer and overall, well done by Mike Rizzo. - 5/5 - A

3 . Wayne Rodriguez Club Mix (8:20) - Now this is classic dance music. Great music and Wayne Rodriguez definitely turned it out on this remix. He didn't use any backing vocals only Jewel's lone vocals, but hell they're good too. The beat is incredible and would get any club going. The percussion and synths are insane and the vocal effects ate even better. It's definitely one of the top remixes on the single. - 5/5 - A+

4 . Gabriel & Dresden Club Mix (9:05) - Although only 7 seconds shorter than the Hani Num Club Mix, this long, very long remix doesn't seem to drag the listener, at all! Gabriel & Dresden turned it out! The remix has an incredible beat non-stop. It's got almost a retro-vibe to it and the mix in it's entirety seems very mysterious and out-there. Full vocals again, and it's a fabulous remix. One of the best on the single! - 5/5 - A+

Now, I usually HATE dub remixes of songs but in this case, this single changed my mind about them almost. The music is great in all the remixes and I usually try to stay away from dubs, but I was proven wrong in this case. . . Read On :

5 . Hani Num Dub (8:50) - This is almost an exact instrumental of the "semi-vocal" remix before it by Hani. Hani left the vocal effects and one line of vocals for the listener, but this I think, is better than the Club Mix. - 5/5 - A-

6 . Wayne Rodriguez Dub Mix (6:55)- Best dub on the single. Completely different from his Club Mix, Wayne Rodriguez does it again on this single! The synths are wild and this is definitely the best dub on the single! Absolutely great! - 5/5 -A+

7 . Mike Rizzo Dub Mix (6:33) - I don't like this at all. The only bad one on the CD. It's an exact replica of the Club Mix without the vocals, only it's shorter. Complete laziness on Rizzo's part, but hey, what can you do about it? It's OK I guess, but I would've like more originality. - 3/5 - B-

8 . Gabriel & Dresden Flashback (9:25) - I love, I mean LOVE this remix. It's definitely not a dub! Full Vocal Remix! It's a variation on the club mix, but it's so much better. More of a retro vibe and it's definitely better. Best remix on the CD! Absolutely - 5/5 - A++

Jewel has definitely turned over a new leaf. And her newest single, "Intuition", is following in the same direction as "Serve The Ego". This is an awesome single and definitely worth the buy!

Average Track Rating : 4. 6
Overall CD Rating : A-.

It's an album in itself! AWESOME!
I really like this maxi single. I received my copy Friday, April 18, 2003. It's full length is 66:40. That's like an album! The remixes of Serve The Ego are all very good. I would like to see Jewel do a remix album like Sarah McLachlan did on Remixed. That would be very cool. I am very happy I ordered this CD and highly recommend it to those who like the dance remixes of songs. Bravo!.

Excellent Club Music
It was almost hypnotic. I was at a dance club at Pleasure Island (Orlando)when this really great mix started playing. Even people that weren't dancing were moving in their seats to the beat. I liked it so much I went upstairs to ask the DJs what it was. It was the Gabriel and Dresden mix of Serve the Ego. I walked over to Virgin records the next day and bought it.
If you like club music buy it!.

You can see a complete list of all Jewel discography, or go back to the Jewel tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.