Back in the Circus

Jonatha Brooke | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 24, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B0001ADBCI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,702 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Back in the Circus

2. Better After All

3. It Matters Now

4. Sleeping with the Light On

5. Fire and Rain

6. Everything I Wanted

7. God Only Knows

8. Less Than Love Is Nothing

9. Sally

10. No Net Below

11. Eye in the Sky

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars worth the money for Jonatha fans, August 23, 2004

By 

Beth (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back in the Circus (Audio CD)

I've been listening to Jonatha Brooke since her early days with Jennifer Kimball in "The Story." Her songwriting continues to impress as does her ability to deliver passion behind the lyrics. The writing is especially strong in "Sleeping with the light on," "Less than love is nothing," and "Sally."

So far, my favorite song on this album, though, is one that she didn't write. I absolutely love her cover of the Alan Parsons Project song, "Eye in the Sky." In fact, the first time I played it, I kept skipping backward to hear it again. I liked the original a lot, but I think her version adds so much more emotion, depth, and sadness. I wasn't as fond of her "Fire and Rain" remake or her remake of "God Only Knows," but both are growing on me and it was fun to hear her take on two classic songs. In fact, I appreciate the entire album more as I listen to it again and again.

Still, her live album remains my favorite solo Jonatha album. It's a better taste of her singing and playing the guitar, rather than the remixed feel of some of the songs on this album and on "Steady Pull." For new listeners, I would recommend buying the live album first and checking out "West Point," "Because I told you so," and "Blood from a Stone." She remains great and I hope she will continue to put out great albums.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, June 30, 2004

By 

Lisa DJ (alexandria, va United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back in the Circus (Audio CD)

I so wanted this album to be better. Don't get me wrong. Jonatha is one of the most premiere female singer/songwriters out there, but she is capable of so much more. I just found this album on the shallow side with none of the soul evident in some of her past albums. "Everything I Wanted" seems to be the best song on the album and it could have been mined directly from Plumb, her best album, btw. Strong bass riffs with emotion are what are needed here, not more techno synth ala EBTG. I saw EBTG when they actually played instruments and jazz in 1985, but now they are "house" and bland. I don't want Jonatha to go that way. She has been one of my favorite artists for so long. Maybe it's just hard to write strong songs with soul such as "Room in my Heart", "10cent Wings", "Nothing Sacred", "Made of Gold", and "No Better". There are so few artists that can achieve that level of depth and soul in their songs, I just wish there was more of it on this album.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too intimate?, May 3, 2004

By 

B. Niedt (Cherry Hill, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back in the Circus (Audio CD)

Jonatha's voice is still gorgeous, and her songwriting still great, but this is a bit of a departure for her - more intimate small-band arrangements, led by Hammond-organ sound. It does sound almost like she is jumping on the Norah Jones bandwagon, though I'm sure that wasn't her intent. The original songs here are pleasant enough, but not a single one stands out, and they seem devoid of much of the energy of her previous work. Ironically, probably the best song on the CD is her cover of Alan Parsons' "Eye in the Sky". Her cover of "God Only Knows" is fine too, but "Fire and Rain" is a real misstep. (One thing the booklet photos establish, though: she's got great legs!) Unfortunately, my reaction to this release is a shrug and a "so-what?" If you want to hear an exceptional album from Ms. Brooke, try "10-cent Wings" - I miss the bombast and killer arrangements of that album.