Plumb

Jonatha Brooke, The Story

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 29, 1995)
• Original Release Date: August 29, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Thumb
• ASIN: B000003N5P
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #118,848 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The Story began as a duo of two Amherst College friends, Jonatha Brooke and Jennifer Kimball, but it was Brooke who wrote the songs, set the vocal arrangements, and took most of the lead vocals. So it's not a complete surprise that Brooke broke with her partner after a dozen years and recorded this project as Jonatha Brooke & the Story, retaining husband/producer/keyboardist Alain Mallet and guitarist Duke Levine from the previous recordings. Unfortunately, the new format exposes the severe limitations of Brooke's voice, which is thin in tone and shrill in the upper register.

Plumb is dominated by songs of heartbreak and recrimination over a relationship that is over; they may or may not be about Kimball, but the bitterness of cuts such as "Nothing Sacred" and "Is This All?" emphasizes the prickliness of Brooke's singing. She needs a vocal partner to fill in the bare patches in her range and to lend some resonance to her lyric themes. The only vocal duet on "Plumb" pairs her with long-time admirer Bruce Cockburn on "War," and it's the album's most successful musical moment, even if the lyrics consist of rather predictable antiwar sarcasm. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazon is WAY off the mark in their review, October 16, 2003

By	WaltSnipe "nude emperor-spotter" (Austin, Tx United States) - See all my reviews

I can't imagine how anyone at Amazon can make negative statements about Jonatha Brooke's voice on this album. He/she must have a secret crush on Jennifer Kimball to even dare to float that criticism in their review at the top of this page. Even a cursory listen will immediately display that this, Jonatha's first solo album, is much better than her releases with Jennifer Kimball in The Story. While those two Story CDs had their moments (largely due to Brooke's songwriting, voice, arrangements, guitar playing, etc), "Plumb" stands as empirical evidence that striking out on her own was the best thing Brooke ever did. Every song on this CD is outstanding, as opposed to the hit and miss of the Story CDs (especially "The Angel in the House", where some of the ideas didn't work). Jonatha has one of the great voices that I've heard.....she is in that catagory of singers (Bowie, Eno, Alanis come to mind) that use their tremendous vocal chops as another instrument in the mix, rather than just singing the songs. She provides backup vocals to herself on this CD, and they immediately cause one to ask "Jennifer who...?" This album shows Jonatha hit her songwriting stride with confidence. There's not a weak song here. In fact, I think this CD stands as the best thing she's ever done (though I'm looking forward to her new one in Feb. '04).

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thin Voice? What CD did you listen to?, December 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Plumb (Audio Cassette)

I have NO idea what the establishment critics are looking for these days other than carbon copy mediocrity, or the ability to shatter glass. If you haven't listened to Jonatha Brooke - you're missing out on one of the best, and perhaps most inventive, singer/songwriters ever. Her voice is unexpectedly agile and clear, and her lyrics are full of clever wit and honesty. And her guitar talent is no less capable and appealing. Jonatha is an artist who very tastefully defies convention on her own terms. I had the lucky chance to speak with her at a small venue in Philadelphia and told her that what intrigued me most about her music was that she used all of the notes and chords that none of the other mainstreamers did. She broke into a huge smile and thanked me for recognizing her efforts to literally do just that. Too bad the mainstream doesn't get it. If you have the chance to see her perform live - go go go go go go go go go go go. You'll immediately be back at Amazon.com buying every Jonatha Brooke CD you can get your hands on.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where Would I Be Without This CD?, April 3, 2003

By A Customer

Did you ever come across an artist or their CD, and after letting their music and lyrics sink into you say, "Thank God I found this artist--where would I be if I didn't have this music to listen to?" I first heard Jonatha on VH1.com radio, liked her songs they played, and decided to explore what her CDs had to offer. I collected 10 Cent Wings and Steady Pull, but of all I enjoy Plumb the most. Jonatha's songwriting is just so masterful! Every lyric means so much--whatever you need it to mean to you...that is the sign of a true poet. I discover some new meaning in her songs on this CD every time I listen to it. I highly recommend it to anyone in need of soul searching/soul cleansing music.