- Audio CD (6 Aug 2007)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Spectrum Audio
- ASIN: B000009PNV
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 148,329 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Greetings From The Side |
| 2. St. Christopher's Lullabye |
| 3. Barstool |
| 4. Owen Down |
| 5. Invisible |
| 6. Bluefish |
| 7. Ghosts |
| 8. Heroes & Heroin |
| 9. Jeremiah Weed |
| 10. Nothing |
| 11. Push |
Product Description
Review
If you're looking for the wistful melancholia that Gary Jules displayed in his Christmas smash "Mad World" you may well be disappointed with this re-release of his 1998 debut album.
Although Michael Andrews also worked on the LP, the sound here is much more alt country. "Barstool" for example takes the country twang as far as it will go (which may be too far for some). However, the album does have rockier moments courtesy of Counting Crows engineer J Bradley Cook.
The title track "Greetings From The Side" features beautiful harmonies that remind me of Cat Stevens. Yet on other songs, with the exception of "Bluefish", Jules voice is more reminiscent of Michael Stipe. It lurks in the lower ranges giving it a world-weary feel. This is particularly apparent on "Owen Down" which starts darkly with the lyrics "Baby I would smash your pretty face". With the risk of sounding sadistic, this deeper, more passionate side finds Jules at his best. Some of the lighter tracks stray into the Joshua Kadison's "Jessie" camp which is a shame because he's capable of much more than AOR mediocrity.
Melody is heavy throughout these anecdotal tales of life on the West Coast. The album starts down-tempo, picks up pace in the middle and culminates in the foot-stomping finale "Push".
Instrumentation is limited, mainly reliant on guitar and drum, but does gets more diverse with a flute and even an accordion making an interesting appearance in "Ghosts".
None of the tracks here are likely to bring as much chart success as his last single, but "Heroes and Heroin" might be his best chance. This story of parting manages to be poignant and pretty yet not cloying and the rhythm will move you as much as the words.
It shouldn't be forgotten that Greetings From The Side was a debut album and contains a variety of songs and displays Jules experimenting with different styles. Six years on and with a huge hit under his belt it will be interesting to see which path he'll take but with the promise shown on this LP all the signs point to it being an enjoyable one. --Niky Daley
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I know that this is not quite the usual way of reviewing an album but since I was only able to get hold of Trading Snakeoil For Wolftickets, First, then Greetings from the side some 14 months later, I have to say that Gary's Debut album is absolutely fantastic. The acoustic guitar is phenominal and the piano work on St Christophers Lullabye is out of this world.
The fact that you can actualy relate to the lyrics in all the songs just proves that these songs were written from the heart and from observation of life which for me means and says more about a character than any amount of write ups or reviews could. The only critisism I have with the album is that the Song "Barstool" features on the Wolftickets album too which makes me feel as though this may have been an oversight on the record company as I feel sure Gary would have had enough material to have replaced this song with new material. This album in my opinion is for anyone who likes music made with simplistic creativity (flutes and pipes and acoustic guitars harmonised with perfect percussion),and lyrics with depth and feeling sung from voice with confidence... Full Marks Paul Simon Eat your Heart out.
The fact that you can actualy relate to the lyrics in all the songs just proves that these songs were written from the heart and from observation of life which for me means and says more about a character than any amount of write ups or reviews could. The only critisism I have with the album is that the Song "Barstool" features on the Wolftickets album too which makes me feel as though this may have been an oversight on the record company as I feel sure Gary would have had enough material to have replaced this song with new material. This album in my opinion is for anyone who likes music made with simplistic creativity (flutes and pipes and acoustic guitars harmonised with perfect percussion),and lyrics with depth and feeling sung from voice with confidence... Full Marks Paul Simon Eat your Heart out.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Powerful folk rock and stunning vocals
15 Nov 2002
Format:Audio CD
Gary Jules is one of LA's best local artists, and one of my favorite artists of all time. He manages to say a lot with very little, and I've not heard him sing a single song that I haven't liked. This is a great debut, with a good variety of sounds; some of my absolute favorite tunes on this album are "Owen Down", "Push", and "Heroes and Heroin". I also very strongly recommend Gary's most recent album, "Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets", which includes the tune most folks are probably familiar with, the cover of "Mad World" from Donnie Darko. ...
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Relaxed and flowing
2 April 2003
Format:Audio CD
Gary Jules puts together a tremendous CD that combines his instrumental knowledge with his voice. The result is a flowing, relaxed sound that puts you at ease. If you've listened to "Mad World" from the Donnie Darko soundtrack you know what an amazing talent this man is. Do yourself a favor and pick this CD up.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
awesome album!
27 Mar 2004
Format:Audio CD
This is a must-buy! If you've ever had a chance to see Gary Jules at the Hotel Cafe in LA, you know how incredible this guy is. 'St. Christopher's Lullaby' is an essential anthem for anyone in love. 'Ghosts' will leave you positively shaken!
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