This first solo album is a departure from the sound of her albums with The Story and as Jonatha Brooke & The Story. I know I'm in the minority here, but I prefer these studio recordings of these songs to the ones that appeared on the live album that followed. Her complex melodies and unusual chords work better in pop songs than in folk music. It's easy to see why long time fans from her folk audience shook their heads when this album came out ("Do I hear an electric piano? A synth? An electronic beat?"), but for me this is where Jonatha Brooke's career really took off.
The pop production style hides the unusual chords and makes the melodies sound more easy. This was released by a major label. If enough people had heard this album Jonatha Brooke could have easily become as big as Shawn Colvin. "Secrets and lies", "Because I told you so" and "Last innocent year" should have been big hits. But unfortunately MCA didn't promote the album and with her folk audience being disappointed as well the album sank without a trace.
But for the more open minded listener who likes more than just folk and who doesn't mind a bit of modern production techniques this is an excellent collection. Jonatha Brooke writes lovely, catchy melodies with good lyrics and the songs are well produced. There's the aforementioned pop songs, acoustic folk given a pop sound on "Because I told you so" and "Blood from a stone", the more experimental "Glass half empty" is a fine tribute to the late Kevin Gilbert, the title track is a great piano ballad, "Annie" ends the album with acoustic folk. Even when the songwriting lets her down on songs such as "The choice" and "Shame on us" her lovely voice is there to keep things interesting.
If only more people would have heard of this amazing artist. Intelligent pop music like this with such lovely melodies, influences from a lot of different styles sung by a female vocalist of course leads to comparisons with the late great Kirsty MacColl. I know there will never be another Kirsty MacColl, but if there's somebody in the world who comes close it's Jonatha Brooke. From: https://rateyourmusic.com/music-review/mdekoning/jonatha-brooke/10c-wings/2087624
