Jonatha Brooke..

If you like live recordings, her live cd is really great. From the Rolling Stone review:

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...Brooke is clear folk clarity cut with pure rock opacity. Her vocal pitch is spectacular, her melodies unwind and detail themselves at unhurried rhythmic paces, and turns like "Is This All" and "Always" evoke Virginia Woolf's personal odysseys and Audrey Hepburn's rich subtlety ... The world hasn't heard the end of her.

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Colin, my pleasure. Glad you dig her.

I'd love to know what you think of The Angel In the House, Plumb, and, as Jayd wisely suggests, Live.

Fred,

I've ordered Live, Steady Pull and Plumb from off her website. Should get them after the new year.

I'll let you know after their eargerly anticipated arrival. Her voice and songs are so strong that she hardly needs a band around her, so I'm hoping that "Live" will be similar to, and as good as Shawn Colvin's "Live 88".


Colin Lorenson

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Originally posted by Colin Lorenson:
Fred,

I've ordered Live, Steady Pull and Plumb from off her website. Should get them after the new year.

I'll let you know after their eargerly anticipated arrival.

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Please do.

By the way, "earger(ly)" means "eager to hear," right?

I haven't warmed to Steady Pull as I have to the others, but it's certainly not chopped liver. I do urge you to seek out the earlier The Angel In the House which you'll probably find under the group name The Story ... I guarantee it will floor you.

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Her voice and songs are so strong that she hardly needs a band around her, so I'm hoping that "Live" will be similar to, and as good as Shawn Colvin's "Live 88".

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Indeed, I've heard Jonatha several times solo and she's as good as Shawn in that format; they both are frighteningly good solo musicians, on voice and guitar. However, Live is with a band, and they don't hold her back. I'm a huge fan of Shawn's Live '88, and would love for Jonatha to release a solo live album, too.

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Originally posted by Colin Lorenson:
Fred,

I've ordered Live, Steady Pull and Plumb from off her website. Should get them after the new year.

Colin Lorenson

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You're in for such a treat, Colin. I envy anyone who hasn't heard 'Plumb' yet as they still have that first jaw dropped experience to come - The piano solo on Inconsolable is one of those indescribably beautiful things that trebles the power of the lyric and stays with you for weeks.

And I'll second the recommendation for 'The Story' albums - both Grace and Gravity and Angel In The House are fantastic.

cheers

Steve

I have most of JB's Albums. I "discovered" Plumb shortly after it was released and since then have kept my eyes open for anything new by her. She isn't "big" enough for local release in NZ so I have had to import myself. I have a memory of listening to "Every morning I get up and I watch the war" (with Bruce Cockburn ?) quite a lot and I associate it with the first Gulf war but surely that album wasn't circa 1991 ?

BTW, she has a new album out soon called "Back in the circus".

P.S. When I first heard her I though that she was Irish. She just has that natural lyrical quality that you associate with things Gaelic. Wrong.

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Originally posted by Minky:
I have a memory of listening to "Every morning I get up and I watch the war" (with Bruce Cockburn ?) quite a lot and I associate it with the first Gulf war but surely that album wasn't circa 1991 ?

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Yes, Gulf War (BushCo I), 1991. She has remixed it and put it up on her web site for free download ... it's even more timely now.

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Originally posted by Stevie Steve:
The piano solo on Inconsolable is one of those indescribably beautiful things that trebles the power of the lyric and stays with you for weeks.

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I have mixed feelings about that piano solo. I mean, it's great and all, but in some ways it's one of the very few slight missteps on an otherwise flawless masterpiece. It's very well played but it's a bit too self-consciously hip. It's certainly not a deal killer or anything, but I've always wondered if the pedal steel might have taken a solo there to better emotional effect. Not that I really want to second guess a substantial artist, though ... just my own thought.

It's amazing how two people can hear such different things in a piece of music! That solo is one of my all time fave moments in music...

there you go.

Steve

As part of my never ending "wonder what this old thing sounds like on all my new gear" quest, I dug out 10c Wings last night and listened to the whole thing. I didnt know what I'd been missing. She is a big talent with amazing vocal range and depth.

Astounding she hasnt hit the big time.

I had hoped Steady Pull which was only released a couple of years ago would have same affect but unfortunately no.

It does have a great duo with Kiwi Neil Finn but apart from this its pretty much a backward step for her.

Must order another copy of Plumb off Amazon.

Received Plumb, Steady Pull and "Live" last week and they've been in steady rotation since.

Of the three I think "Live" is superb. Straight into my absolutely must have recommendations list. Great songs brilliantly performed live. Jonatha's voice and the song arrangements are even better live than on the albums.

Everyone out there BUY THIS ALBUM. You will not be dissappointed.

Colin Lorenson

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Originally posted by Colin Lorenson:
Received Plumb, Steady Pull and "Live" last week and they've been in steady rotation since.

Of the three I think "Live" is superb.

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Live serves very well as a sampler of songs from the other albums.

I hope you will eventually add The Angel In the House (sometimes listed under the artist name The Story) to your collection; it's the first I heard and the one that hooked me. For the title track alone it's worth having.

I'd like to second the kudos for Fred recommending Jonatha Brooke. I decided to explore her work a couple of weeks ago and I've spent the evening compiling my own "Jonatha Brooke Greatest Hits" CD made from her last four recordings ("Plumb," "10-Cent Wings," "Live," and "Steady Pull.") I've ordered "The Angel in the House," an early recording, but haven't received it yet; I may have to revise my compilation (which consists of 21 songs at present).

I must say that I prefer her later work, especially "Steady Pull," which has only one song on it that doesn't speak to me. Also superb is the single from her forthcoming CD, "Better After All," - which is available on her web site (www.jonathabrooke.com). By the way, if you have any interest in JB you should go to her Web site; the amount of music, video clips and information available there is astonishing. I think it's interesting that an indie like JB is making so much of her work freely available while the majors do everything they can to restrict the distribution of music. Her inclusive approach made it easy for me to check out her work and she's now won over this not-easily-pleased listener.

I haven't been sufficiently motivated to go to a live concert in some time, but since JB will be playing fairly often in my neck of the woods in support of her new recording (and because fans on her Web site's discussion board testify to the quality of her live performances) I may actually get off my well-Naimed arse and hear her live.

I can't believe JB escaped my radar until now. I'd almost forgotten how pleasurable it is to hear a genuine talent for the first time... Thanks again, Fred.

Robert

[This message was edited by Robert Derwae on SUNDAY 01 February 2004 at 05:51.]

You're more than welcome, Robert. Glad you've caught the Jonatha bug. And, yes, you will have to append your compilation when you get The Angel in the House.

Do not miss her in concert. Like Shawn Colvin, she is another who really can do it live. Brilliant singing, musicianship, the whole package.

Picked up "Plumb" today on the strength of the many recommendations here. Beautiful, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Thanks for the heads-up.

jay

I'd also like to thank Fred for turning me onto this artist. I picked up this DVD 'Steady Pull' and it has gotten alot of play in the last few weeks. I will seek out her other albums as I'm sure to like them. Anyone know if they can be found on vinyl?

John

Jonatha has a marvellous new CD out called 'Back In The Circus' - some amazing songs, a handful on interesting cover versions, and well worth the few squid it'll cost to order with the dollar being worth nothing right now... I got my copy about three weeks ago, and have played it more than anything since...

cheers

Steve

Got Angel in the House, and Back in the Circus last week, but have barely played them!!

I'm still totally hooked on Plumb and the Live album. I think "West Point" might be my favourite song ever.