Jason Plumb and The Willing

De Canadese singer-songwriter Jason Plumb uit Regina, Saskatchewan was vooraleer hij aan zijn solocarrière begon actief als frontman van de formatie ‚The Waltons‘. In 2007 besloot hij er helemaal alleen voor te gaan en creëerde hij een eigen begeleidingsband met ‚The Willing‘. Met het eerste soloalbum „Beauty In This World“ wist hij al in de zomer van 2007 onze aandacht te verkrijgen voor die plaat en we hebben met evenveel plezier Rootstime-recensies geschreven voor de opvolgers „Wide Open Music“ in 2009 en „Alive And Willing“ in 2011.

Haast vanzelfsprekend hebben we dan ook nu zijn nieuwste album „All Is More Than Both“ toegestuurd gekregen, een elf songs tellende plaat die eind maart 2012 op de markt is gekomen. Jason Plumb laat zich bij het maken van zijn liedjes inspireren door de betere pop- en rockmuziek uit de golden seventies en zilveren eighties.

Zijn specialisme ligt in de kunst om catchy popmelodietjes in hedendaagse, moderne liedjes om te zetten. Luister bijvoorbeeld maar eens naar het rockende openingsnummer „First Time“ of naar de op een reggaedeuntje deinende popballad „What You Leave“ en u zult meteen begrijpen wat we bedoelen. Bij zowat elk nummer uit dit album krijgen we het gevoel dat we dit al ooit elders gehoord hebben.

Qua originaliteit zal Jason Plumb dus geen prijzen wegkapen, maar qua entertainmentwaarde en toegankelijkheid mogen alle songs uit „All Is More Than Both“ er zeker zijn. Zelf vertelt hij dat zijn echtscheiding en zijn nieuwe relatie die bekroond werd met de geboorte van zijn zoontje hem heel wat inspiratie voor nieuwe liedjes heeft opgeleverd. Songtitels als „Alone With You“, „All By Myself“ en „Sweet Misery“ spreken voor zichzelf.

Enkele muzikale vrienden hielpen om één en ander behoorlijk op plaat te krijgen: Ed Robertson en Steven Page van ‚Barenaked Ladies‘ zingen mee op twee liedjes, iets wat de Canadese zangeres en songschrijfster Serena Ryder ook heel mooi doet op „Alone With You“. „All By Myself“ en „On A Chain“ zijn zeer stevige rockers die net op tijd worden afgewisseld door het veel rustiger gebrachte „Falling Star“ waarin ‚Broken Heart Strings‘ - een heerlijk strijkersensemble - komt meespelen.

De emotioneel gezongen ballad „Under A Gun“ duurt bijna zes minuten en behoort alvast tot één van onze favoriete tracks uit dit album. Ook het met enkele eenvoudige pianoklanken beginnende nummer „Sweet Misery“ laat alweer een heel ander aspect van deze getalenteerde Canadees aan bod komen. Deze nieuwe cd „All Is More Than Both“ zou wel eens de beste plaat uit de discografie van Jason Plumb kunnen worden want de totale kwaliteit van alle nummers zal in de toekomst maar moeilijk te overtreffen zijn. Daar ligt dan ook een spannende uitdaging op hem te wachten om ons van het ongelijk te overtuigen. (Valsam)

“The seventies and eighties pop and rock music in the eleven tracks on ‘All Is More Than Both’ demonstrate the admirable abilities of ‘Jason Plumb And The Willing’ to perform catchy and contemporary songs with a high entertainment value and which are easy to absorb. This pleasing record might soon be remembered as the very best one from his extensive discography.” - http://www.rootstime.be

Another week, another crop of notable names from Canadiana past. An interview with Samantha Parton from the newly reunited trio the Be Good Tanyas (to come next week) is quickly followed by a call to Jason Plumb, former frontman with Saskatchewan roots faves the Waltons.

“It seems to be a bit of a trend right now,” says the Regina-based Plumb. “I’m actually going to Edmonton tomorrow to play with my buddies in the Skydiggers who I haven’t played with in years. Seems like everything old is new again. . . . I guess a lot of people have been away from it long enough that they think it’s relevant again or it’s a good time to put something else out.”

For his part, Plumb has never really gone anywhere. After the Waltons packed it in just over a decade ago, he embarked on a fruitful solo career, which continues with the release of All Is More Than Both, his latest album with backing band The Willing, released on his own SoccerMom Records label.

It is a collection of songs he thinks is something of a return to the sound that he and his old act honed during their ’90s heyday on the Canadian music scene.

“This record of mine is probably as close to some Waltons stuff I’ve done since we stopped making records,” Plumb concedes.

And the 11 tracks are very much in that sweet, casual Prairie rock vein, while still taking it to different quarters in the field, from Kim Mitchell-esque opener First Time to the Fleetwood Mac-like vibe of Alone with You, which features guest vocals from Serena Ryder.

Actually, Ryder is only one of many guests making an appearance on the album and, in fact, the rest of the credits read like yet another roll call for Canrock’s old home week.

Some of those include Barenaked Ladies both current and former (Ed Robertson and Steven Page), Shuffle Demons saxman Richard Underhill and even veteran producer Michael Philip Wojewoda, who helmed some of the most celebrated Canadian albums of the ’90s by BNL, Spirit of the West, Great Big Sea, the Rheostatics and, yes, the Waltons.

“That was one of the perks of recording the record in Toronto, drawing on my past friendships and acquaintances and peers from my days of living there,” Plumb says, before noting that the exception was the inclusion of someone even more ingrained in the nation’s musical history.

“The Alex Lifeson thing, that happened by absolute fluke,” he says of the Rush guitarist’s work on the track Losin’.

“We started going through the songs and wondering which iconic Canadian guitarist could make an appearance on the record. . . . I thought, ‘Well, Alex Lifeson, that would be really amazing. If we could get (him) that would be a real coup.’ And he actually just happened to walk into the control room some days later.”

With all of the help on the record, it’s surprising, then, to note that when the musician hits town Friday for an early evening show at the Palomino, he will be doing so solo, with only Willing member Cody Gamracy joining him for the gig.

Still, Plumb thinks it’s the perfect way to showcase the songs from All Is More Than Both, considering that before he and his cohorts took them into T.O.’s Revolution Recording studio, all of them began life as demos, with just his voice and an acoustic guitar making them work.

And, as for him getting back, as for Plumb perhaps returning, like many of his fellow Canadian musicians, in earnest back to his past, he admits that, yes, the members of The Waltons have been having that conversation, with perhaps a handful of dates and even an album part of the discussion.

“I think so. It’s been 20 years now since Like My Trakter came out,” he says of that debut which helped earn them some Juno love.

“So we thought that’s a good round number. . . . And I think it would be neat for the people that enjoyed the Waltons’ music to make a record.”

Jason Plumb performs Friday at the Palomino from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free.

mbell@calgaryherald.com Twitter.com/mrbell_23
- Calgary Herald

All Is More than Both (Soccermom)
BESIDES having cool band and label monikers, former Waltons' singer-songwriter Jason Plumb has created a likable album that any fan of sincere Canuck pop rock should get behind. With a hot cast of guest musicians and singers (including members of Barenaked Ladies, Chic Gamine, Rush and Shuffle Demons) Plumb offers a charming combination of tight rockers and sincere ballads on these 11 well-produced tracks.
There is a little something for everyone here whether it's soaring lap steel and strings (Under A Gun, Falling Star) or half-remembered Jackson Browne riffs (Alone With You) the band works up plenty of magic. And if you are looking for a new style Kim Mitchell-esque bar room rocker, All By Myself kicks out more than a little jam in that direction.
Thoughtful lyrics and melodies abound here and Plumb keeps his songs just as real as they need to be. Recommended.
-- Jeff Monk - WInnipeg Free Press

Jason Plumb and The Willing: all is more than both
12/05/20120 Comments


Jason Plumb is een Canadese singer-songwriter en voormalig frontman van The Waltons. Plumb wordt sterk beïnvloed door de rock vibe van de jaren ‘70 en ‘80. In 2003 werd zijn solodebuut ’Under and Over’ boven de doopvond gehouden. Om deze release degelijk te promoten vormde Jason de backingband The Willing. Samen met Mike Thompson (drums), Cody Gamracy (elektrische gitaar) en bassist Gord Smith speelt Plumb hoofdzakelijk elektrische - en akoestische gitaar, piano en harmonica. Het tweede album ‘Beauty in This World’ werd dan voor het eerst gecrediteerd als Jason Plumb and The Willing. Nu is ‘all is more than both’ alweer Jason’s zesde release. Het schijfje bevat elf rockgetinte nummers die door heel wat muzikaal getalenteerde vrienden en bijhorende instrumentatie worden ondersteund. Het zorgt alleszins voor een gezellige verscheidenheid in de sound. De scheurende gitaren laten zich makkelijk leiden door Jason’s helder zanggeluid. Jason Plumb’s muzieksound wordt vaak afgeschilderd als ordinaire popmuziek, maar zijn composities snuiven wel degelijk schitterende country en rockgetinte arrangementen op. Jason Plumb and The Willing is zeker een ontdekking waard.

‘all is more than both’ is highly listenable. A very pleasant pop and rock album! - Philip Verhaege

All Is More Than Both is brilliant from first note to last. This is Prairie Music Award worthy, Juno Award worthy, and yes, GRAMMY Award worthy. It’s also one of the easiest selections ever as a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.
Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5) - Wildy Haskell

If this solo debut by ex-Walton Jason Plumb sounds suspiciously like it could be the best album Starling never recorded, that's cuz he's enlisted the members of Ottawa's perpetual great white hope to serve as his backing band. Smartly produced by Barenaked Lady Ed Robertson, Under And Over merges a knack for near perfect pop hooks with slightly gritty alt-country charm that never sounds forced. Plumb achieves soaring, sun-drenched atmospherics with killer opener Satellite, an aching tune centred around a Stevie Wonderish (!) melody. It's easy to wow with your lead track (see Starling's 2002 Stuff You Should Have Said Before for proof), but what's impressive is the way he maintains the emotional aura throughout, from the Sarah Harmer-backed country ballad Old Familiar Ring to the Southern-fried rocker Wide Open. Jason Plumb opens for Jonny James at the El Mocambo tonight (Thursday, November 13) and carries on a November residency upstairs at the Rivoli's Maple Lounge on Wednesday (November 19).

SARAH LISS

NOW | NOV 13 - 19, 2003 | VOL. 23 NO. 11 - NOW MAGAZINE Toronto On. Ca.

Hey you! Stop here a minute! Don’t flip past! There’s important stuff here, stuff you need to know about what might have been your fourth- or fifth-favourite Canadian band in the ’90s. That band could have been the Waltons, who made two well-crafted, poorly circulated records for Warner, before their quiet disappearance that ranks as the fourth- or fifth-most curious Canadian rock ’n’ roll mystery of the ’90s. One minute they were here, the next, it’s six years later and their former front man Jason Plumb is making his solo debut with Under and Over, on a brand-new record label. C’mon! Doncha wanna find out? Savage Love’ll be there when you’re finished!

There’s probably a long, dreary version of the story of how this particular group with lots of potential, following the independent release of their first album, saw it all slip away after signing with a major label, but luckily, Plumb’s got the short one: "No drama, really. They just decided to not try to sell records and then wondered why our records weren’t selling and gave us our walking papers."

That isn’t to say that they don’t still keep in touch. "I still receive statements in the mail, quarterly, of how much the Waltons owe Warner," he says. "We still owe them half a million dollars."

Ouch. Well, there’s probably a club somewhere that he could join, of embittered big-label exiles who coulda been contenders if only, if only... but that was then, this is now, right? Time goes on–check the grainy, orange, Bob Dylan-looking photo of Plumb circa now, staring back at you when you open the CD package–but Jason Plumb knew that a decade ago, when he was clean-shaven. "I’ve aged a little bit," he says, "but I think my writing has, too, and I think my attitude in general is I’m just happy to have an album out that people are enjoying, and now I wanna get out in front of people and sell them."

So then, what do you need to know about Under and Over? Plum’s got some big-time helpful friends, like Barenaked Lady Ed Robertson, who produced the record and gets lots of credit for pushing it through from start to finish. There’s other recognizable names there, like Sarah Harmer and Damhnait Doyle and Starling, who help it look good on paper and sound good on the stereo. Most impressive about the album, though, is how Plumb’s clear voice and melancholic take on the world have survived intact. If his name on the front of the CD flips a memory switch or two, even a quick listen should be enough to trigger the floodlights. Plumb hopes, anyway. Canada’s a big place with not enough people to fill it. It’s already been established that it’s easy to be forgotten. Does he ever worry that it’s just plain too late for him? "Well, it’s easy to be forgotten, even when you’ve got a deal with a major label and a record coming out, that day," he says, alluding to the long, dreary story, "so, I don’t know, I think it’s gonna be a case of ‘Jason Plumb [from the Waltons]’ on the posters, at least for now, anyways. But I plan to make more records, and I have to get out and play in front of people. That’s where I shine.

"I still get e-mails from people wondering what happened to the Waltons. I feel I owe it to myself and people who enjoy watching me perform to get out and do that, because I’ve seen a lot of bands over the last five years, and there’s a lot of shit out there. It doesn’t seem that people take a live performance as seriously as they should and don’t do as well as they could." - See Magazine Edmonton, Ab, Ca.

Plumb comes from a place where the trucker hat isn't this month's fashion statement – it's a way of life. He can write a near-perfect country rock song, as his tenure in the Waltons demonstrated, and on his own he's no slouch. The Regina boy and his Saskatchewan backing band, the Willing , took care of business in a perfectly shiny, professional manner.

The strength and passion of his songs belie Plumb's laid-back demeanour onstage, and the four members of the Willing worked well to flesh out the spirit he evokes in his fervent yet muted delivery. Every tune was tight. In fact, they were all perfect. Which got me thinking.

Neil Young is famous for dumping entire recording sessions because they sounded too good. The mistakes, the imperfections of his backing band, Crazy Horse, were what gave them their magic. As Jason's set came to a close, I couldn't help thinking how much better it might have been had the band allowed themselves the occasional fuck-up. The intensity that comes from a band having no idea what to expect from their leader often makes for the best shows, and the lack of risk involved here was the only thing that kept this really good show from being an awesome one.
BY BRENT RAYNOR - NOW MAGAZINE Toronto On. Ca.