Search - Josh Joplin :: Useful Music

Not "Useful"--Necessary!

Donald Taylor | 04/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard "Camera One" on my local radio station and I immediately fell in love with the song. If it came on the radio while I was driving, I would make another trip around the block just to listen to the song. I was a bit scared before I bought this album though. I was afraid that it would be like many other albums--one song is amazing but the rest of the album is horrible. I was very pleased to find this wasn't the case. I bought this album almost 4 years ago and I still listen to it nearly every day. It's the kind of album that you can listen to over and over again without it getting old--it just seems to get better! Many people complain that Joplin's voice sounds exactly like Michael Stipe's from REM. Even so, this is still a most amazing album..."Matter"--Great opening song. Exciting and fast. One that you just have to crank up and roll down the windows for."Gravity"--A perfect example of JJG's outstanding lyrics! Great music and amazing writing. "Here I Am"--My favorite song by this band. Starts out simply and just builds. The lyrics, again, are great. I know that I say that a lot, but I can't stress it enough."Undone"--Didn't exactly like this song on the first listen. However, it began to grow on me and I really do like it now."Camera One"--The reason that I feel in love with this band. I don't know how to explain it. It's another one of those songs that you just have to crank all the way up!"I've Changed"--A song that really makes you think (which is rare in music these days). It's a nice mellow sound for the middle of this album. Definately one of my favorite songs on this album."Trailways"--A great "roadtrip" song. Just a gernerally fun song."Who's Afraid Of Thomas Wolfe?"--Witty lyrics, JJG's sense of humor comes out in this song a bit. Not laugh out loud funny, but you'll definately listen to this one with a bit of a smirk on your face. "I sold my soul and I never got paid...""Phil Ochs"--Good song. Didn't know exactly who Phil Ochs was when I first heard this. From what I've found out, he was a percussionist for several different bands. Something that a friend and I noticed about this song: no percussion is used for it. Kind of a fitting tribute. It really is a good song. It captures the way that the pop stars of today cannot even compete with the ways that the artists from (for lack of a better term) "back in the day" influenced music and truly made music instead of being prepackaged teenie boppers."Superstart"--A fun song. You'll definately be bobbing your head to this one."Human"--A very haunting melody. Makes me think about growing up and realizing that we're all just "human.""Dutch Wonderland"--Another song that has become one of the theme songs to growing up. "Where the gym teacher was always mad..." This song is just one of those that can be put on and nostalgia seems to grip anyone who listens. The first time I heard it, I literally cried thinking about my childhood. It'll definately make anyone think."I've Changed (Alternate Version"--An electric version of "I've Changed." Because of the subject matter of the song, I think I like the first one a little better, but this one is still great. There is an added verse in it which seems to add a bit more though.In my life, I've only found a few albums that I like as much as this one. It is truly one that I can put in on a two hour drive and just keep on repeat. "Useful Music" seems to be a bit modest from this band. "Necessary Music" seems to be more like it."

Best of the late 90's

Donald Taylor | Lynchburg, VA USA | 03/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"got solid radio airplay, and video airplay on VH1 for the song Camera One, which is probably their best song.



the album Useful Music was the Josh Joplin Group's major label debut, reworked and tweaked from it's original version on Shawn Mullin's SMG label. The songs here range from upbeat ("Matter"), to slower ballads ("Here I Am" and "Dutch Wonderland") to dark introspective ("I've Changed") to downright adrenaline raisers ("Trailways"). All of the songs are pretty remarkable on their own, and they're ordered on the CD really well making Useful Music compelling from beginning to end.



I firmly believe this is one of the top ten cd's of the late 90's timeframe. The songs are thought provoking and witty, and full of musical surprises.



If you liked Camera One, or heard one of JJG's other songs and want to give one of their CD's a whirl, this is a good bet. It's pretty good!"