Chaotic Resolve

For fans of her previous albums, you'll find this album to be yet another major stepping stone in the emerging career of a great artist. This is the 4th album from Plumb and she just keeps on managing to top herself with each release. If you are not already a fan of her works, you have most likely already heard her music on movie soundtracks for films such as Bruce Almighty, Brokedown Palace and Drive Me Crazy. Chaotic Resolve is a great album with positive lyrics that manage to avoid the typical pitfalls of other Christian artists. Great production along with a diverse array of sounds make this album a very mature work from Plumb. There are orchestral elements as well as electronic sounds that meld perfectly with the core rock sound that allow this album to breathe in a very organic way and not stray too far into one realm or the other.

1. Blush (Only You) - A very radio-friendly track, this song manages to have smart pop sensibilities without getting cheesy. Dont be surprised to see this song appear on the soundtrack of a movie or TV show in the very near future.

2. I Can't Do This - This is the first track on the album that shows the new harder rock edge that Plumb is showcasing on this album. This track has a rock core, but uses a lot of drum loops to give it a driving force, which perfectly compliments the rock sound.

3. Real Life Fairytale - My personal favorite on the album, this track also has a very smart pop sound, with lots of build ups and a piano melody accented with subtle synth elements. This song is so powerful, and the lyrics are especially positive.

4. Better - This track is a definite "roller-coaster" type track, with quiet verses that explode into a rocking chorus. Up and Down. Again great build-ups on this track, and the lyrics are especially pertinent to anyone who has been going through a hard time.

5. Manic - This track is very electronica in its sound. It is arranged like a pop dance track, with tons of synth sweeps and other electronic elements, yet its not a realy pop type track, just arranged that way. For those that know her, its kind of similar to Damaged from CCWD, but so much more mature in its sound. It's good to see Plumb take a chance on a track like this, as she manages to create a slightly different sound for herself without getting to far away from her core sound.

6. Cut - The first slow song on the album. This track is very, very sad. Just a piano melody with either a sitar or a 12-string to back up the main melody. There are no drums in this track, which I think gives the song an even more emotional feel.

7. Bittersweet - This track also has a very electronic feel to it. Lots of electronic elements blend with what sounds like a huge string section from an orchestra and clean guitars. The strings in this track almost act like a lead guitar, with little solos here and there by a lead violin. Very, very cool.

8. Good Behavior - This track brings back the distorted guitars, and the rock feel. This track and the next one are the two real "jump up and down" type tracks that really rock on this album. So much energy on this track, with lots of power riffs from the guitars. Very organic and not electronic in the least.

9. Motion - In keeping with the "rock" theme started by the previous track, this is the biggest absolute rocker on the album. This is just a real energetic track that I think will be a real hit when performed live. This is the type of track that just gets a crowd going at a concert, which is ironic, because its made to sound like its being performed live with sampled crowd noise in the beginning.

10. I Have Nothing - Mostly organic with just straight guitars, but it adds a few subtle electronic elements to bring things out of the complete rock theme started by the previous two tracks.

11. Jekyll & Hyde - The second slow track on the album, although this one isnt nearly as sad as Cut. Lots of clean guitars, strings, a little flute melody and odd electronic sounds. The track comes off as very subtle, but if you listen closely you can hear a lot going on with the synths in the background, it is just washed out in order to not overwhelm the feel of the track.

12. Sleep - My second favorite track on this album. This is just a well written song. I think this track more than any of the others shows just how far Plumb has come since her first album. A perfect combination of pianos, strings, and subtle electronic elements. If I had to show someone one track from this album to represent her new direction, this would be the song.

13. Damaged (Redemption Extended Version) - This is a new version of a track from Candycoated Water Drops (her 2nd album), a song which was featured in the movie "Brokedown Palace". It sounds like this track was completely rewritten. Although it keeps true to its original sound by keeping the same lyrics and general feel of the song, its been modernized by adding a new longer intro and an entirely new verse/outro bridge at the end, which really brings out the newer feel of the track. I think she re-recorded the vocals for this track, as she changed up the notes on a few of the parts she sings. If you have heard the original song, you'll recognize the same parts, but you'll also notice how updated the parts of the song sound. All in all its a much better version than the original.

14. Pray For Me - This track is at about 160 BPM (Beats Per Minute). At its core it is a jungle track as those in the electronic dance music realm will recognize. I like the attempt she was making to produce an almost entirely electronic track, one that could easily be a dance single, but the song comes off a bit odd. I think it could have been a lot better if she tried the same thing but just used a straight up "4 on the floor" beat and dropped the tempo to around 125-130, but its a good effort none the less.

All in all this album is really good. If you are a fan of Plumb from her previous works, i highly recommend picking this one up as you'll appreciate the maturity of her sound and how she is really coming into her own as an artist. Personally, I can't wait for album number 5!

--Eric J

http://www.downgrooves.com

I saw Plumb on their first major tour, when they opened for Jars of Clay. Since that time, Plumb has paired down to the soul and passion of Tiffany Arbuckle. Maybe she's been the heartbeat all along. With each album, she seems to have come nearer to the surface--and yet deeper in the lyrics.

"Chaotic Resolve" is a beautiful amalgam of music and themes. While some artists try different styles and fail to make them seem cohesive, Plumb manages to bring unity to the mix. The work of Matt Bronleewe shines through in this regard, keeping the heavy guitar riffs, while blending electronica and breathy vocals. Throughout, the sounds add to the texture of the lyrics, rather than detracting from them.

This may be Plumb's best, most complete album yet. If you've ever enjoyed Tiffany's music, don't let this one pass you by. If you haven't tried her stuff, it's time to do it.

Plumb's ever-evolving sound (and line up) makes each release fresh. Chaotic Resolve is no different. Tiffany takes the direction she started with Beautiful Lumps of Coal and expands on it. Each song is a showcase for her vocals. My personal favorite is "Cut". It's a little more laid back than the rocking numbers she's known for, but it's powerful. Impossible to predict, Plumb is easy to enjoy. Different from CandyCoatedWaterDrops, but still good.

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