Plumb

Item: Beautiful Lumps of Coal
Author: Joel Paulk

Beautiful Lumps of Coal

(2003)

Reviewed by Joel Paulk

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Label Curb RecordsThe Rebel Base2003

alternative rock dance rock pop rock

I've waited for Beautiful Lumps of Coal for almost three years. The verdict? It would've been worth waiting another year for. This is another great album from a great artist. The reason I listen to music. Aside from it being female-fronted rock (my personal favorite style), Plumb knows how to write a song and her voice leaves you wanting to hear more.

For those who don't know about Plumb she started out as a back-up singer at the age of 18, and soon she was asked to record her own album. She released two albums, Plumb (1997) and Candycoatedwaterdrops (1999) before she got out of her contract with Essential. Sometime between 2000 and 2002 she signed with Curb records and this, her third album, is now out. For those who don't know her style, I would relate her to Chasing Furies, Stereo Deluxx, Garbage, Evanescence, and Heather Miller all mixed in together. She can rock when she wants, but she knows how to slow it down, too. Her writing is very much in the vein of Jars of Clay; in fact, Dan Haseltine helped write and produce her first album.

"Free"

This brings to mind "Lie Low" and "Worlds Collide." Damaged relationship songs seem to be Tiffany's specialty, with this arguably being the best of the bunch. Very up-tempo, a great way to open the album, the guitar work reminds me of Pete Stewart's (Grammatrain) solo album. Plumb seems to be talking about a past relationship where someone wanted everything their way or the highway and when the relationship ended they expected her to crumble. "But surprise" as Plumb says, she's doing just fine without this jerk. She's "free."

"Sink n' Swim"

Maybe it's the mention of the ocean, maybe it's the similar guitar work, maybe it's both; in any case, this song reminds me very much of "Stranded" (which is not a bad thing). This song just gets better and better, starting out somewhat slowly and building. The two lines before the chorus have a melody that is oddly familiar. The last chorus has Plumb singing, "We will sink/ and we will swim/ til' the ocean turns to sand," as if she's yearning for something. This is the first song that seems to deal with her recent marriage, and sounds like a love song to her husband. The song could also be about God, but I'd put my money on the former.

"Without You"

This seems like a first for Plumb. This is the only song I know of where she is apologizing for something she did. This is also the first song I can't relate to either of her previous albums. A mid-tempo song, this track has nice guitar and drum work (very nice to finally get some live drums behind her). It also has a great message telling us that we all do some things we shouldn't and we need to ask for forgiveness.

"Boys Don't Cry"

This song contains quite possibly the best melody on the entire album; it is extremely catchy and could be stuck in your head for days on end. With this song's chorus very similar (in style) to "Sink n' Swim," Plumb seems to be crying out for something. Maybe it's just her vocals, but whatever it is, it's beautiful. As for the song's content, it seems it is about someone struggling with getting the attention of another who seems as if they could care less. Shame on them.

"Hold Me"

This is without a doubt my favorite song on the album. She apparently enjoyed working with Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay) on her first album. The intro of this song could fit on either her debut album or Jars of Clay's Much Afraid. The song itself is a love ballad to her husband about her wedding night. Ahh, rock love songs, aren't they the best? Instead of some mushy, piano or string driven song we get guitars, bass, and drums. Kind of like Pete Stewart's "The One." The lyrics are just beautiful: "Hold me till morning, love me right now." Folks, it doesn't get better than this; not for me, anyway.

"Walk Away"

I'm starting to wonder if these songs are Candycoatedwaterdrops rehashes. This song seems like another version of "Worlds Collide," although this one seems more blunt about the subject. This could be thought of as a take on the Scripture that warns, "do not be unequally yoked," in which case "You can go your own way and I'll go mine." Nice, but simple guitar work. It could've rocked out a little more but it matched Plumb's voice perfectly.

"Taken"

This song is obviously written to Tiffany's husband. She is letting him know that she is with him through the good and the bad, the best and the worst; it's almost as if the lyrics are wedding vows. I wouldn't be one bit surprised if that's where the idea came from. "Cause I'll still be loving you, through the sadness, and the madness here, and I'll always be with you, in the distance that has taken you, from me." My only complaint is that I would've liked to see the tempo of this song stepped up a bit and maybe put in a second guitar.

"Nice, Naïve, and Beautiful"

This is the first song I know of written completely by Tiffany. The beginning chords of the piano make me think I'm listening to a Vanessa Carlton song (and Vanessa can play). The song seems to be about a girl who has been taken advantage of by just about everyone in her life, but in the end she does give a message of hope, letting the girl know the pain is only temporary. Lyrically, the song is great; musically I don't really care for it. I think if they were going to leave the piano in they should've put more guitar work in the chorus; otherwise I think an acoustic version would work very well with this song.

"Unnoticed"

This song could've been titled "Unsung Heroes." It is about all the everyday, average people that truly exemplify the example of Christ by being servants, but the song doesn't stop there. It goes on to say how much we as people don't even notice how much other people do for us. Musically the song seems like something that could've fit perfectly on Candycoated. Simply a good mid-tempo rock song.

"Real"

The beginning guitar chords of the song seem strangely familiar from the first time you listen to them. Of course that could be from my many visits to plumbinfo.com. This song sounds like it could've been written minutes before Tiffany got married. This is just a very strong song that seems to work in every way; I can't find anything wrong with it.

"Love'em & Kiss'em"

I'm sad to say this is the only contribution Tiffany's brother Brandon Arbuckle made to the album. I thought "Solace" was one of the best songs on Candycoated and "Sobering" from Plumb's first album is another of my favorites. Tiffany said that it simply never worked out that they got a chance to write a song for the album, which is a shame; it would've been a lot better than this 21 second recording of Tiffany when she was 3.

"Gone"

This is a piano and string driven song in which Tiffany seems to be talking to God about her husband and thanking Him for everything He did. A great way to close the album.

Very few albums come along that move me the way this one does. I haven't heard an album like this in years and now I don't know how I did without it. Yeah, there are a few minor things I would've done differently, but still, nobody does it like Plumb.