Various Artists – I Believe to My Soul (2005) purchase this album I’ve done it with increasing regularity this year, but I always feel a little uneasy when I buy…
Music
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John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Here’s a first – a pre-emptive Lost in the ’80s post to make up for a set of reissues that, while nice, will be missing something… November 15th will see…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Charlie Sexton – Cruel and Gentle Things (2005)purchase this album Charlie Sexton has been kicking around the business since 1985, when — at the tender age of sixteen — he…
Jeff Giles
2 Min Read
Depeche Mode – Playing the Angel (2005)purchase this album I think songwriters do an important job. By taking the multitude of life’s experiences and rephrasing them in ways that strike…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Today’s detour into Bootleg City takes us to One Jellyfish Lane, the deserted doorstep of a band I dearly miss. The shifting crew of Bay Area pop fiends who called…
Jeff Giles
13 Min Read
Beach Boys, “You Still Believe in Me” — from Pet Sounds (1966)purchase the album I just had a conversation about this album, and this song, a few days ago, the…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Tracy Chapman – Where You Live (2005)purchase this album My first reaction on seeing this was “Tracy Chapman still has a record deal?” My second was “Huh. Sounds like a…
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
I’m not scared — I’ll come right out and say it. Rick Springfield is one of power pop’s unsung heroes and should be held up right next to your Eric…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
The Click Five – Greetings from Imrie House (2005)purchase this album A few seconds into this album’s opening track, “Good Day” (download), and I almost started to believe that the…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband – Dream Big (2005)purchase this album “PostHeeHawFunkadelicHipHopNewGrass.” That’s the type of music Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband play, at least according to them; this description,…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Jack’s Mannequin – Everything in Transit (2005)purchase this album A few frightening phrases which could be used to accurately describe Everything in Transit: 1. “Something Corporate side project” 2. “features…
Jeff Giles
14 Min Read
[Here it is, at long last: The Graduate’s conclusion to the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Otis Redding. I’ll be doing next week’s Guide, unless I get a better offer from…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Neil Young – Prairie Wind (2005)purchase this album Since rebounding from a decade of mostly disastrous albums with 1989’s Freedom, Neil Young has established a pattern for his releases: Loud…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Franz Ferdinand – You Could Have it So Much Better (2005)purchase this album Here are some descriptions I’ve read recently of Franz Ferdinand’s music: “Art-damaged rock.” “Churned-up art punk.” “Garage…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Blues Traveler – ¡Bastardos! (2005) purchase this album A funny thing happened to Blues Traveler on their way to obscurity: As John Popper slimmed down, the band’s songs did too,…
Jeff Giles
11 Min Read
[Note: I put out a call for guest Idiots a few weeks ago, and was quite pleased to get a response from one of my favorite bloggers (his comment about…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Sigur Rós – Takk… (2005) purchase this album So. This is what all the hype is about, I guess? I don’t get it. This music is nice and all, but for…
Jeff Giles
2 Min Read
Paul McCartney – Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005)purchase this album As I wrote last week, I wasn’t expecting much from this. McCartney albums can be pretty half-baked —…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Miss me? Sorry about that. Work took me out of the loop for a good two weeks, but I’m back now and rarin’ to go with a bunch of posts….
Jeff Giles
14 Min Read
[Note: For those of you who weren’t here a couple of weeks ago — or just have very short memories — this here is Part Two of the Complete Idiot’s…
Jeff Giles
2 Min Read
Back in February, I mentioned driving past Crazy Buffet, a new restaurant in Sunnyvale. I didn’t have any intention of eating there, really; I just thought it was a funny…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
All that McCartney ranting yesterday, and hey, the new single ain’t bad: Paul McCartney – Fine Line (download) Huh. I’m sure this is just Macca’s way of getting my hopes…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
I was all set to do a review of the new Herbie Hancock today, but it turns out there really isn’t all that much to say about the new Herbie…
Jeff Giles
3 Min Read
Nada Surf – The Weight Is A Gift (2005)click here to purchase this album I didn’t listen to the radio at all in 1996, so I’ve never heard Nada Surf’s…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Like pretty much everybody else, I’ve had New Orleans on my mind lately. Haven’t said much, because I’m not as eloquent as folks elsewhere, like Atrios and Billmon. Basically I’m…
Jeff Giles
2 Min Read
Bob Dylan – Live at the Gaslight 1962 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 6.5) (2005) Bob Dylan – No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (The Bootleg Series Vol. 7) (2005) I like…
Jeff Giles
4 Min Read
David Gray – Life in Slow Motion (2005) There was a time when I thought David Gray’s music was insufferably boring. Either I was wrong, or I’ve become insufferably boring…
Jeff Giles
8 Min Read
[Note: As I mentioned last night, today’s Guide was written by my good friend Ted, who has been patiently and tirelessly defending Rush to me since we met. I take…
Jeff Giles
1 Min Read
Two announcements: 1. Tomorrow’s Complete Idiot’s Guide will be Part One of Two. 2. It will be about Rush. 3. It’ll be written by my good friend Ted. Not to…