Useful Music
Useful Music is a studio album initially released in May 1999 under the SMG Records label by Josh Joplin Band, and again in January 2001 through Artemis Records after the band had renamed itself Josh Joplin Group following a change in its line-up. While the album did not enjoy widespread commercial success, it peaked at #22 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and spawned a moderate hit with its first single, "Camera One", which quickly reached #1 on the Triple A airplay chart, the highest position ever achieved by an independent release at that point (February 2001). Featuring a more rock-edged, radio-friendly sound than most of the other material on Useful Music, the song was also featured in an episode of the comedy series Scrubs (season 1, episode 7, "My Super Ego").
| Useful Music | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 25, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | Orphan Studios and Southern Living At Its Finest, Atlanta, GA NG Studios, New York City, NY New Reflections, Nashville, TN Chicky World, Austin, TX | |||
| Genre | Folk rock, Americana | |||
| Label | SMG, Artemis | |||
| Producer | Shawn Mullins | |||
| Josh Joplin Band chronology | ||||
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| Josh Joplin Group chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Useful Music | ||||
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Track listing
Original release (1999)
All songs written by Josh Joplin.
| Track | Title | Producer | Engineer | Mixer | Mastering | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Matter" | Jerry Harrison | Karl Derfler | Tom Lord-Alge | Ted Jensen | 4:13 |
| 2 | "Gravity" | Shawn Mullins | Russ Fowler, Alex Lowe | Phil Nicolo | Greg Calbi | 3:04 |
| 3 | "Here I Am" | Rob Gal, Mullins | Fowler | Matt Chiaravalle | Calbi | 4:18 |
| 4 | "Far Away" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 2:54 |
| 5 | "Undone" | Mullins | Fowler | Nicolo | Calbi | 4:09 |
| 6 | "I've Changed" | Mullins | Fowler | Nicolo | Calbi | 4:13 |
| 7 | "Trailways" | Mullins | Fowler | Chiaravalle | Calbi | 3:59 |
| 8 | "Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 4:01 |
| 9 | "Phil Ochs" | Allan Broyles, Josh Joplin | Charles “Chicky” Reeves | Fowler | Calbi | 3:12 |
| 10 | "Superstar" | Mullins | Fowler | Chiaravalle | Calbi | 3:33 |
| 11 | "Human" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 4:25 |
| 12 | "Dutch Wonderland" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 3:54 |
Re-release (2001)
All credits are the same as the original release except where noted.
- "Matter"
- "Gravity"
- "Here I Am"
- "Undone"
- "Camera One" - 4:33
- Producer: Jerry Harrison
- Engineer: Karl Derfler
- Mixer: Tom Lord-Alge
- Mastering: Ted Jensen
- "I've Changed"
- "Trailways"
- "Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?"
- "Phil Ochs"
- "Superstar"
- "Human"
- "Dutch Wonderland"
- "I've Changed (alternate version)" - 4:21
- Producer: Peter Collins
- Engineer: F. Reid Shippen
- Mastering: Greg Calbi
Album credits
Personnel
- Kenny Aronoff - drums
- Allen Broyles - backing vocals, piano, trumpet, organ, accordion, harmonium, keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano
- Jason Buecker - percussion, drums, backing vocals
- Ani Cordero - backing vocals
- Deb Davis - electric guitar ("Trailways")
- Joe Gore - electric guitar
- Carl Herrgesell - electric guitar
- Danny Howes - electric guitar
- Clay Johnson - backing vocals
- Josh Joplin - lead and backing vocals, Rhodes electric piano, harmonica, acoustic guitar
- David Kostiner - drums
- Diana Mangano - backing vocals
- Geoff Melkonian - backing vocals, electric bass, double bass, viola
- Shawn Mullins - guitar, piano, backing vocals
- Pamela Sixfin - violin
- Eric Taylor - drums ("Camera One")
- Kris Wilkinson - string arrangement
Production
- John Bentham - photography
- Chris Bilheimer - art direction
- Allen Broyles - producer ("Phil Ochs")
- Greg Calbi - mastering (all tracks except "Matter" and "Camera One")
- Matt Chiaravalle - mixer ("Here I Am", "Trailways", and "Superstar")
- Peter Collins - producer ("I've Changed (alternate version)")
- Karl Derfler - engineer ("Matter" and "Camera One")
- Russ Fowler - engineer (all tracks except "Matter", "Camera One", and "I've Changed (alternate version)"), mixer ("Far Away", "Phil Ochs", "Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?", "Human", and "Dutch Wonderland")
- Daniel Glass - executive producer
- Jerry Harrison - producer ("Matter" and "Camera One")
- J. Reid Hunter - legal
- Ted Jensen - mastering ("Matter" and "Camera One")
- Josh Joplin - producer ("Phil Ochs")
- Matt Lively - illustration
- Tom Lord-Alge - mixer ("Matter" and "Camera One")
- Alex Lowe - engineer ("Gravity")
- Shawn Mullins - producer (all tracks except "Matter", "Phil Ochs", "Camera One", and "I've Changed (alternate version)")
- Phil Nicolo - mixer ("Gravity," "Undone," and "I've Changed")
- Charles “Chicky” Reeves - engineer ("Phil Ochs")
- Anthony J. Resta - drum and keyboard programmer
- F. Reid Shippen - engineer ("I've Changed (alternate version)")
Sources
- Jenkins, Daniel (December 16, 2000). "Josh Joplin Group Serves Up "Useful Music" on Artemis Set". Billboard. New York: Nielsen Company. 112 (51): 20. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Aiese, Eric (June 23, 2001). "Reviews & Previews - Singles (Rock Tracks): 'Gravity'". Billboard. New York: Nielsen Company. 113 (25): 24. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Taylor, Chuck (December 15, 2001). "Reviews & Previews - Singles (Pop): 'I've Changed'". Billboard. New York: Nielsen Company. 113 (50): 25. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Thelen, Christopher (March 14, 2001). "Album Reviews - Useful Music". The Daily Vault. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
- Warburg, Jason (February 15, 2002). "Album Reviews - Useful Music". The Daily Vault. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
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