Conference mr1pst::music

465.0. "The Story" by USABLE::GOOD (Michael Good) Thu Jul 29 1993 13:19

    The Story has a dynamite new album out on Elektra, "The Angel in the
    House."  This album has much fuller, pop-style arrangements than the
    first album.  When I saw them at one of their Passim shows in Harvard
    Square a few months ago, they opened with "So Much Mine" and it was one
    of the highlights of the night.  That song opens their album and is the
    first single.  It's a lot different in the full-band version than with
    just the 2 of them, but just as remarkable in its own way.  I hope they
    have a hit with it!
    
    The Story are Jonatha Brooke and Jennifer Kimball.  They play both as
    an acoustic duet at folk places like Passim, and with a full band in
    rock venues.  They are in the same general musical territory as folks
    like Shawn Colvin and the Indigo Girls.  Imagine the Indigo Girls as
    atheistic New Englanders instead of religious Southerners...
    
    Their vocal arrangements and ensemble singing are stunning live.  When
    you can do their intricate harmonies and counterpoint, and then hit the
    unison notes absolutely as if it were one voice singing, it makes quite
    an effect!  They have no fear of dissonance in their harmonies, but
    it's always in tune.
    
    Grace in Gravity was their first, more acoustic album.  With that
    album, I felt that about half the songs are wonderful and the other
    half are not so exciting.  The Angel in the House struck me that way of
    first listening, but since then it has really grown on me and I find it
    full of excellent music.
    
    Any other fans out there?

    I heard a lengthy radio interview with The Story (on "Weekend
    Edition"?) on July 18.  I had never heard of them before and the 
    interview certainly picqued my interest.  They did some
    live-in-the-studio songs and sounded very good.
    
    I plan to check them out further.
    
    - Dave