Comments on: The Popdose Guide to Jules Shear http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/ your daily dose of pop culture Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:35:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Timbuctouhttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-53035 Timbuctou Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:10:21 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-53035 RICH I visited your site but was unable to download the two Jules albums. How could I do that? RICH I visited your site but was unable to download the two Jules albums. How could I do that?

]]> By: Timbuctouhttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-41294 Timbuctou Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:10:21 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-41294 RICH I visited your site but was unable to download the two Jules albums. How could I do that? RICH I visited your site but was unable to download the two Jules albums. How could I do that?

]]> By: Timbuctouhttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-26919 Timbuctou Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:10:21 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-26919 RICH I visited your site but was unable to download the two Jules albums. How could I do that? RICH I visited your site but was unable to download the two Jules albums. How could I do that?

]]> By: JohnHugheshttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-25999 JohnHughes Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:09:59 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-25999 Jeff not only heard of "Demo-Itis," he mentions it specifically in the second paragraph, explaining why he didn't cover it. Jeff not only heard of “Demo-Itis,” he mentions it specifically in the second paragraph, explaining why he didn't cover it.

]]> By: JDhttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-25984 JD Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:22:05 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-25984 Oh, yeah, and you missed A WHOLE ALBUM. <br><br>"The Third Party" was *not* the follow-up to "The Eternal Return" . . . Ever hear of a little old album called "Demo-Itis"? A collection of home and studio demos, some of which we've heard before in their final versions, but mostly not -- mostly "new" material. Personally, I think Jules beat Pete Townshend at his own game with this one (do you get it? do you even know what I'm referring to?) <br><br>Jules does some awesome soul singing in "I Didn't Know Your Smile" and the doo-wop/country hybrid, "He Tore My World Apart". Most importantly, for the purposes of our little dialogue here, when Jules made his four-track home demos for "All Through The Night" and "She's In Love Again", he sang them way, way, WAY BETTER than on the "Watch Dog" album! Gee, there goes your "Rundgren knob-twiddling" theory! Seriously, they sound almost exactly like their final versions, which indicates that Jules *arranged* his own material, not Todd. That Pet-Sounds-ish percussion on "She's In Love Again", is already there, for example, as well as the exact notes of the trumpet solo (unfortunately not a real trumpet, though ). The "old-time saloon" tack-piano solo in "All Through The Night" is there, too. "If She Knew What She Wants" is pretty much note-for-note, and even in demo form it STILL blows The Bangles away.<br><br>What I really like best is the previously-unreleased material . . . such as "You Are My Heartache", "Trained For Glory", "Deliver Love", and the almost-straightforward-blues closer, "I Know You're Not Alive". And others. Highly recommended, even if you have to kidnap Jules himself, and make him burn you a copy from his own personal stash of tapes! Oh, yeah, and you missed A WHOLE ALBUM.

“The Third Party” was *not* the follow-up to “The Eternal Return” . . . Ever hear of a little old album called “Demo-Itis”? A collection of home and studio demos, some of which we've heard before in their final versions, but mostly not — mostly “new” material. Personally, I think Jules beat Pete Townshend at his own game with this one (do you get it? do you even know what I'm referring to?)

Jules does some awesome soul singing in “I Didn't Know Your Smile” and the doo-wop/country hybrid, “He Tore My World Apart”. Most importantly, for the purposes of our little dialogue here, when Jules made his four-track home demos for “All Through The Night” and “She's In Love Again”, he sang them way, way, WAY BETTER than on the “Watch Dog” album! Gee, there goes your “Rundgren knob-twiddling” theory! Seriously, they sound almost exactly like their final versions, which indicates that Jules *arranged* his own material, not Todd. That Pet-Sounds-ish percussion on “She's In Love Again”, is already there, for example, as well as the exact notes of the trumpet solo (unfortunately not a real trumpet, though ). The “old-time saloon” tack-piano solo in “All Through The Night” is there, too. “If She Knew What She Wants” is pretty much note-for-note, and even in demo form it STILL blows The Bangles away.

What I really like best is the previously-unreleased material . . . such as “You Are My Heartache”, “Trained For Glory”, “Deliver Love”, and the almost-straightforward-blues closer, “I Know You're Not Alive”. And others. Highly recommended, even if you have to kidnap Jules himself, and make him burn you a copy from his own personal stash of tapes!

]]> By: JDhttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-25982 JD Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:37:58 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-25982 Wow, what a shitty "fan" you are! I like your notion that a producer (such as Todd Rundgren) can make a poor singer sound good by "knob twiddling", or adding reverb, or whatever it is going on in your ignorant head. Ever recorded in a studio, you old fart? Ever tried to make lousy vocals sound good? Can't be done. Maybe NOWadays we can correct *pitch* digitally, but that's not your complaint -- you aren't saying he sings flat, you're saying his timbre is unappealing. Yeah, well, that's YOU. Maybe some 400+ people on the planet agree with you, but I doubt more than 12 of them are truly Jules Shear fans. I think you've tried to *make yourself* be a Shear fan, because it IS a badge of infinitely good taste . . . but deep down inside, you'd rather be listening to REO Speedwagon or Journey.<br><br>Jules's voice got a bit weird somewhere near the 19NINETIES. Everything up until 1989's "The Third Party" featured awesome vocals. You actually ding his singing on "The Eternal Return", even? My god. It's not even close to being his best album, but his singing on "Eternal" is ABSOLUTELY FIRST RATE. Not his best album, but definitely his best singing. And there was not a damn thing wrong with any of it on "Watch Dog" . . . and you don't seem to have ever even HEARD Jules & the Polar Bears . . . Yeah, some "fan" you are. Give it up, old man.<br><br>Kyudos to the poster4 who mentioned Elliot Easton's album -- the best non-solo material he's ever written! I don't get these people who seem to think the Bangles made "If She Knew What She Wants" any better. I think they took all the piss out of it, not to mention making it drag by *lowering* it a few pitches, because Susannah Handjob Hoffs couldn't fucking REACH the notes on Jules's version! HA! Wow, what a shitty “fan” you are! I like your notion that a producer (such as Todd Rundgren) can make a poor singer sound good by “knob twiddling”, or adding reverb, or whatever it is going on in your ignorant head. Ever recorded in a studio, you old fart? Ever tried to make lousy vocals sound good? Can't be done. Maybe NOWadays we can correct *pitch* digitally, but that's not your complaint — you aren't saying he sings flat, you're saying his timbre is unappealing. Yeah, well, that's YOU. Maybe some 400+ people on the planet agree with you, but I doubt more than 12 of them are truly Jules Shear fans. I think you've tried to *make yourself* be a Shear fan, because it IS a badge of infinitely good taste . . . but deep down inside, you'd rather be listening to REO Speedwagon or Journey.

Jules's voice got a bit weird somewhere near the 19NINETIES. Everything up until 1989's “The Third Party” featured awesome vocals. You actually ding his singing on “The Eternal Return”, even? My god. It's not even close to being his best album, but his singing on “Eternal” is ABSOLUTELY FIRST RATE. Not his best album, but definitely his best singing. And there was not a damn thing wrong with any of it on “Watch Dog” . . . and you don't seem to have ever even HEARD Jules & the Polar Bears . . . Yeah, some “fan” you are. Give it up, old man.

Kyudos to the poster4 who mentioned Elliot Easton's album — the best non-solo material he's ever written! I don't get these people who seem to think the Bangles made “If She Knew What She Wants” any better. I think they took all the piss out of it, not to mention making it drag by *lowering* it a few pitches, because Susannah Handjob Hoffs couldn't fucking REACH the notes on Jules's version! HA!

]]> By: Richhttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-25572 Rich Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:48:27 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-25572 If you'd like to listen to the CD of Watchdog, check out my multiply site under "notsincehighschool80"...I have the entire thing (and Eternal Return) available for streaming (or downloading, if you know how to snag stuff from multiply) ;) If you'd like to listen to the CD of Watchdog, check out my multiply site under “notsincehighschool80″…I have the entire thing (and Eternal Return) available for streaming (or downloading, if you know how to snag stuff from multiply) ;)

]]> By: JKChttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-14930 JKC Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:18:58 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-14930 I would love a cd or download of WATCHDOG. I try every 6 months with no luck. I couldnt get the songs to play or download on this page. Dang. I would love a cd or download of WATCHDOG. I try every 6 months with no luck. I couldnt get the songs to play or download on this page. Dang.

]]> By: Ben Culturehttp://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/comment-page-1/#comment-14929 Ben Culture Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:35:03 +0000 http://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-jules-shear/#comment-14929 I think you are seriously overstating the case about Shear's voice. It's true that on The Great Puzzle, Jules introduced a gruff nasal whispering sort of style, and gradually that's become his primary singing voice. But on the early albums (and especially with Jules and the Polar Bears, the dismissal of which does your atricle a disservice) he recorded some beautiful, soaring vocals, not to mention some pretty rich harmonies. The Eternal Return is another good example. As for his background work, check out Elliot Easton's solo album Change No Change (which Jules co-wrote), and especially the final track, "Wide Awake". Some absolutely gorgeous harmony work there, and it's all Jules. I think you are seriously overstating the case about Shear's voice. It's true that on The Great Puzzle, Jules introduced a gruff nasal whispering sort of style, and gradually that's become his primary singing voice. But on the early albums (and especially with Jules and the Polar Bears, the dismissal of which does your atricle a disservice) he recorded some beautiful, soaring vocals, not to mention some pretty rich harmonies. The Eternal Return is another good example. As for his background work, check out Elliot Easton's solo album Change No Change (which Jules co-wrote), and especially the final track, “Wide Awake”. Some absolutely gorgeous harmony work there, and it's all Jules.

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