Essential Carols: The Very Best Of King's College Choir, Cambridge (2005)

A compilation of recordings originally released 1959-1965 under the direction of David Willcocks.

The men and boys of King's College Choir provide a welcome respite from the holiday music I hear on the radio. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Santa, Rudolph, Frosty, and the gang, but these songs are the more reflective, traditional, sacred stuff of quiet nights, a warm fireplace, a well-lit Christmas tree, and maybe some hot chocolate, fruitcake, or mincemeat pie. (Here in San Antonio this year, the forecast is predicting a high of 77° on Christmas Eve, so maybe no fire and hot chocolate.)

The sound quality isn't great, but it's better than you would expect from analog mono recordings made in the mid-twentieth century. The main draw to me is the inclusion of many old carols that I love but very rarely hear. This music brings me back to the stories of the birth of Jesus as found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. And, as one reviewer over at Amazon writes, "Mince pies were definitely better after I played the music." Yum.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

The aforementioned carols that I rarely hear include such tracks as Ding Dong Merrily On High, Gabriel's Message, Once In Royal David's City, Personent Hodie, and the Coventry Carol. It ends with the gorgeous Vaughan Williams piece, Fantasia On Christmas Carols. There's also plenty of carols here that I don't recall hearing other than other than this album so it's sending me down a rabbit hole of what are considered to be "traditional carols" in the UK.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None with these particular discs, but hearing this kind of music from 4 voice choir (most songs a capella, a few with accompaniment) takes me back to my early days. As a preacher's kid, I spent a lot of time at the church each December with potluck suppers, choir rehearsals, staff parties, cantatas, children's pageants, living nativities, and, of course, Advent and Christmas Eve services. These traditional carols were ever-present. Church members often gifted us food, dropping by the manse with baked goods, candy, and other treats. I distinctly remember our formal dining room table being covered with such dishes. Divinity was a very popular homemade confection at the time and we got plenty of it. And, yes, I get the joke - let's give divinity to the preacher. Haha.

Kate And Anna McGarrigle - The McGarrigle Christmas Hour (2005)

About a week ago, I unearthed this disc - still in its shrinkwrap - from the pile of CDs I inherited from my father. The price sticker ($16.99) is dated 10/31/05 so I'm unsure if my father bought it back then and just never listened to it; although I don't recall him ever listening to folk music. The other possibility is that the CD was gifted to him with the price sticker still attached. How gauche. In any case, in keeping with the spirit of listening to all the CDs in my collection, I'll unwrap it and give it a spin, even though I'm not much for folk music, either.

[your humble blogger listens to the album]

Well, I approached the album with an open mind and it just wasn't my thing, but rather than harp on what I don't like about it, I'm going to direct you to read about the album from someone who enjoys it over at the Music Of My Life blog.

Back in 2019, Rolling Stone ranked the album at #21 in its list of 40 Essential Christmas Albums.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: I'm always up for the Alfred Burt carol, Some Children See Him (track 7).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Wetton/Downes - Icon (2005)

European import

And to the surprise of absolutely no one, this sounds remarkably like an Asia album.

It's a little more poppish than Asia, but the overall sound is quite familiar. I like it good enough, but will I ever pick one of the subsequent releases by this duo? Only time will tell.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Highlights are God Walks With Us and the chorus of I Stand Alone. The only true misstep is Far Away which is an attempt at a midtempo prog-pop ballad in the vein of latter-day ELO; a more successful ballad is the lullaby Sleep Angel. I'd have liked a real rocker or two, but ya get what ya get.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: none, but on a related note, I recently caught "The Buggles" opening for Seal on his current tour. Sadly, Geoffrey Downes was not present. Was Downes invited to rejoin Trevor Horn for the dates? I can't find any evidence either way, but my gut feeling says no. Maybe it was because Horn wore a tshirt that read "Solitary Buggle" while the rest of the band had shirts that read "Best Buggles (Ever)".

Various Artists - Progressions: 100 Years of Jazz Guitar (2005)

A 4 CD box set anthology covering the recorded history of the guitar during the 1900s, more specifically 1906-2001. Includes selections from 78 different guitarists originally recorded on 33 different labels (the only omission I can think of off the top of my head is Leo Kottke, but I'm nit-picking). Each guitarist is limited to only one track, regardless of reputation. Despite the title, this set is only mostly jazz, mostly chronological. 148-page book is included which has helped me a great deal in understanding what's going on and why each track was included in the set. This historical overview is a must for any student of the instrument. And if the goal of this box set was to lead me to check out other recordings by some of these artists, mission accomplished.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #25

Tracks:

Each disc gets successively better, but it figures that I like the more recent stuff as I naturally gravitate to music recorded during my lifetime. Preferring instrumentals, no tracks were ripped to files from CD 1, a few from CD 2, more from CD 3, etc.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Burt Bacharach - At This Time (2005)

The beautiful Bacharach arrangements, odd meters, and melodies are still there - not bad for a guy in his late '70s. A mostly instrumental album, sometimes tracks get the full lush Bacharach treatment while others feature drum and bass loops by Dr. Dre (you read that right). The composer wrote his own lyrics here and they're oddly placed and, for the most part, teenage angry. He shoulda stuck with the collaborations with Chris Botti (FWIW I'm down for a full collaboration album between Bacharach and Botti if Burt is up to it at age 90.)

The album won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album over smooth jazz artists such as Earl Klugh and Jeff Lorber. I'm guessing it was a makeshift legacy award for his past contributions because while this album has its moments, it is very uneven.

Ultimately, I respect Bacharach the composer more than Bacharach the performer. As a whole, I can't decide if I like this easy listening album or not. And I'm not sure I want to invest the time to find out. Sorry, Burt.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: My top picks for today are In Our Time, Who Are These People, Can't Give It Up, Dreams, and Fade Away.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Very Best Of Burt Bacharach (2001)
Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker (1999)
Best of (1999)
One Amazing Night (1998)
Painted From Memory (1998)
What The World Needs Now: Big Deal Recording Artists Perform the Songs of Burt Bacharach (1998)

Incognito - Eleven (2005)

More acid jazz/funk-pop from Bluey and the Incognito gang. Hard to feel down when this stuff gets goin'. More vocal tracks than usual for Incognito and the horns are more Earth, Wind & Fire than Jerry Hey this time around; it's good to know the group still has a few new tricks. I've been on a late '70s binge of late and this fits right in.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: #2
• Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop: #52

Tracks: Today, my favorites are Let The Mystery Be, We Got Music, Baby It's Alright, Will I Ever Learn?, and It's Just One of Those Things. My least favorite track is I'll Get By.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Adventures In Black Sunshine (2004)
The Best of Incognito (2000)

John Mayer Trio - Try! (2005)

John Mayer has a lot of talent, but he's got the same problem that many creative types have: a lack of focus. He wants to be a pop star, stand-up comedian, writer, hell for all I know he's a painter and sculptor, too. Here, Mayer wants to be a blues artist. He's got the chops to do it and he's backed by a couple of stellar studio artists; they make a great power trio. I guess he's earned a little self-indulgence. This is a good album (a great live album), and I can appreciate Mayer's skills and what he's trying to do here, but I just would really prefer if he'd make the popish stuff that he was first known for. But that's just me (and I readily admit that I may be more than a little jealous of the boy's talent and, more importantly, his dating scorecard).

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #34

Tracks:  There's not much middle ground or gray area. Like most Mayer albums, the good stuff is really good but the rest is easily skippable, particularly the butchering of Ray Charles' I Got A Woman. The good tunes here are Who Did You Think I Was, Good Love Is On The Way, and the sorta reworked songs from previous Mayer albums, Gravity and Daughters.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Where The Light Is: Live In Los Angeles (2008)
Continuum (2006)
Heavier Things (2003)
Room For Squares (2001)

Brian Simpson - It's All Good (2005)

A good album to turn to for some relaxing, tasteful piano-based smooth jazz. Simpson is as talented a composer as he is a performer. He has performed with a number of smooth jazz, pop, and R&B artists (George Duke, Janet Jackson, etc.) and seems to have taken their better qualities to form his own style. One of those rare smooth jazz discs that stands up to active listening in addition to being perfect music for your next cocktail party. I really like the slower tracks; I have no idea why I haven't purchased additional Simpson discs.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:  This disc lives up to its title - I don't skip any tracks. My faves are the title track, Twilight, Waiting, and I Remember When.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  I was unfamiliar with Simpson until I heard him play in support of saxophonist Kirk Whalum (Simpson played in Whalum's band, as well). I liked Simpson's set enough to purchase this CD not long after. If the purpose of touring is to promote album sales, then mission accomplished.

OK Go - Oh No (2005)

Yeah, I bought this CD because of the video for Here It Goes Again, what's your point? It's a solid collection of New Wave-ish power pop. I burned out on it quickly and don't listen to it anymore, which is probably a mistake since this is more or less "new" '80s music.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #69

Tracks:  Most of the tracks start to sound the same to me after a while. The first 5 tracks are all good, then, like many '80s albums, it starts to fall apart at the end, particularly It's A Disaster, Let It Rain, The House Wins and the final hidden track:

According to Newbury Comics, the hidden track is 35 minutes of singer Damian Kulash's girlfriend sleeping. It has been rumored the track was included to prevent the band's label from using the extra disc space for Digital Rights Management software. That's fine if that's your cause, but it makes listening to the entire CD for this blog more of a chore than a pleasure.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  This CD got quite a workout on my drives to and from grad school classes in 2006, and while I liked the music, I never did any reading about the band or listened to anything else they released. I guess I was too busy with that grad school mess.

Sia - Colour the Small One (2005)

"LET'S GET IT OVER WITH" WEEK (OCTOBER 15-21, 2012)

I always enjoyed Sia's singing on Zero 7's albums, so a solo album seemed like a good bet. It wasn't. It all comes down to material, and there isn't much good stuff here unless you like those melancholy songs played during the obligatory montage scenes at the end of TV dramas.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: I think the single was Breathe Me and it has appeared on the series finale of HBO's Six Feet Under and miscellaneous TV ads. However, I think the best song here (read: most like Zero 7) is The Bully.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Brazilian Girls (2005)

"LET'S GET IT OVER WITH" WEEK (OCTOBER 15-21, 2012)

At amazon.com, there's a customer review of this boring CD that reads: "If Sex and the City were still being made for HBO, the sounds of Brazilian Girls would no doubt provide the background for Carrie and Co. sipping cocktails in a hip Manhattan lounge." That should serve as a warning to you. Bebel Gilberto did this stuff first, does it much better job with better material, and doesn't need to use vulgar lyrics. This CD got good reviews, so I guess I'm just not hip enough to get it. And that's OK since I haven't sipped cocktails in Manhattan in at least 10 years.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: The second track, Don't Stop, is a decent dance track.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None (Although I've learned my lesson about buying a CD based solely on a two sentence recommendation in The New Yorker.)

Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)

"LET'S GET IT OVER WITH" WEEK (OCTOBER 15-21, 2012)

Noisy, repetitive Scottish power/pop. I'm not sure if this group is even still around. This is a mercifully brief album, with 13 tracks in only 41 minutes. Maybe I'd like it better if I was a 14 year old girl instead of a 46 year old man.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #8 (Oct 22, 2005)

Tracks:  The only track that has a catchy hook is Do You Want To, but it's a brief hook and they repeat it ad nauseum. Not surprisingly, none of this album's singles came close to charting in the US.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  Talk about buyer's remorse. As I was traveling to the University of Houston not long after the release of this album, I stopped by a Target in Pearland and bought this CD as an impulse buy. I tried listening to it on the 20 minute drive from Pearland to the UH campus, but knew I had made a mistake by the time I parked in a commuter lot. Today may the first time I've listened to tracks 6-13.

Paul McCartney - Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (2005)

Today is Sir McCartney's 70th birthday and since I didn't get an invite to the party, I thought I'd give a listen to one of his better solo albums. To be honest, I didn't like his all out '50s-style rock 'n' roll albums like Run Devil Run and prefer his silly love songs, so this CD is right in my wheelhouse. Paul wisely brought in Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich and the result is a cohesive collection of solid pop songs with McCartney playing most of the instruments himself. Hooks abound and many of the songs sound like his late '60s stuff with The Beatles. I'm probably in the minority here, but I think this is his best overall album since Tug of War.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #6 (Oct 1, 2005)

Tracks: I usually skip A Certain Softness, but that is the only track out of 13 (14 if you count the hidden track). The obvious singles were Fine Line and Jenny Wren, but the sleeper cut for me is This Never Happened Before which sounds like one of Paul's best '70s soft-rock ballads.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I bought this after reading only one stellar review and it traveled with me on many trips between BC and UH back in '05. My wife and I saw Paul on the 'US' Tour in November of that year. I was expecting a great show and Sir Paul exceeded those expectations. 37(!) song setlist follows; songs from this CD marked with an asterisk.

• Magical Mystery Tour
• Flaming Pie
• Jet
• I'll Get You
• Drive My Car
• Till There Was You
• Let Me Roll It/Foxey Lady
• Got to Get You Into My Life
• Fine Line*
• Maybe I'm Amazed
• The Long and Winding Road
• In Spite of All the Danger
• I Will
• Jenny Wren*
• For No One
• Fixing a Hole
• English Tea*
• I'll Follow the Sun
• Follow Me*
• Midnight Special
• Blackbird
• Eleanor Rigby
• Too Many People/She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
• Good Day Sunshine (after this song, Paul brought out the crew of the recent space shuttle Discovery mission)
• Band On The Run
• Penny Lane
• I've Got a Feeling
• Back in the U.S.S.R.
• Hey Jude
• Live And Let Die
• Yesterday
• Get Back
• Helter Skelter
• Please Please Me
• Let It Be
• Sgt. Pepper's/The End

Previously revisited for the blog:
Unplugged: The Official Bootleg (1991)
All The Best! (1987)
Tug of War (1982)

New Order - Waiting For The Sirens' Call (2005)

This band's music never changed too much over their eight studio albums and that's fine with me. Bassist Peter Hook left the band after this CD. The remaining members stayed together as Bad Lieutenant. After hearing the 2009 Bad Lieutenant CD, I realize that the band's sound is as dependent on Peter Hook's plangent bass playing as it is on Bernard Sumner's immediately recognizable voice and terrible lyrics. Not to worry, there's plenty of both here. There aren't many all out dance hits here, but what did you expect from 50 year old men? The music definitely leans more to mid-tempo pop. Metacritic rates the album at a 63; I think that's low, but not by much.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #46

Tracks: This CD is definitely front-loaded. It starts off with four solid tracks, including the best song on the CD, Krafty (yes, that's a not-too-subtle tip o' the cap to Kraftwerk). After those four, the best tracks are Morning Night And Day and the very catchy Jetstream, which features Scissor Sisters member Ana Matronic on backing vocals.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I purchased this disc within a week of its release in April 2005. I was in graduate school and needed new music for the long commute to campus. This fit the bill nicely. As far as road music is concerned, this is above average. I think I'm taking this disc directly from here to my truck's CD player.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Get Ready (2001)
Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)

The Reverend Al Green - Everything's OK (2005)

In preparation for my trip to Memphis this weekend, I'm turning my attention to one of the city's most famous residents, The Reverend Green. Green made a secular comeback of sorts in 2003 with the back-to-basics release, I Can't Stop. This is more of the same, with Willie Mitchell producing recordings made at his Royal Studios in Memphis. Even though Green uses his honorific on this release, it is not a gospel album. It is great classic soul music with a lush, updated sound. Green is still in great form. As Tim Sendra writes: "Green hasn't lost a step vocally. In fact, it sounds like he has gained a step somehow; his crazed screams, hollered interjections, and whoops of joy seem more assured and his falsetto is clear and strong." Because this release is very similar to I Can't Stop, comparisons are inevitable. I just can't make a decision as to which is the better CD.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #50

Tracks: Of the 12 tracks here, my favorites are the title track and Be My Baby. I was skeptical when I saw that Green was covering the classic ballad, You Are So Beautiful, but his performance makes it sound like that song was written just for him. While the music is all very similar, there's nothing worth skipping. My only complaint would be the large number of slow tempo tracks included here.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, this is a recent purchase.

Previously revisited for the blog:
I Can't Stop (2003)
Greatest Gospel Hits (2000)

Kraftwerk - Minimum-Maximum (2005)

I was completely unfamiliar with Kraftwerk's music before I bought this CD set, but I knew their name because they are often mentioned as the creators of electronic music that led the way for my beloved New Wave and dance music genres. This CD got good reviews when it was released, so I thought I'd dive in and see what everybody had been talking about for 30+ years.

I understand Kraftwerk is an influential Krautrock band. I understand they are pioneers in the field of electronic music. I understand they have had a lasting impact on the genres of industrial, dance, and rap music. I just don't like their music. This may be the first time I've listened to this all the way through. Ah well, live and learn. No disrespect intended, I fully acknowledge that there must be something I'm missing. I just don't get it [shrug].

This is a double CD live album, but crowd noise is at a minimum (no pun intended), so this becomes more of a greatest hits album. The performances were created using 10 Sony VAIO laptops containing Mobile Intel Pentium 4 M processors. Four were used for audio, running Steinberg Cubase SX, the remaining 6 provided the video system. No hauling around a lot of gear for these guys!

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: All the tracks sound different; all the tracks sound the same. My...eyes...glaze...over.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Trying to tackle Kraftwerk while writing a doctoral dissertation might not have been the best idea and that may explain why I don't fully grasp the band's work.

Dave Matthews Band - Stand Up (2005)

Every now and then, Dave and the band take a break from putting out live CDs and release a studio album. I almost gave up on Dave after two consecutive releases that I didn't enjoy: 2002's Busted Stuff and 2003's Some Devil, both of which I've sold so you won't see those CDs on this blog. But I saw this on sale at Soundwaves on Montrose Blvd and gave Dave another chance.

Most hard-core DMB fans dislike this album because the production by Mark Batson (Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, etc.) is not what they are accustomed to. While it does sound pieced together and overly-looped at times, I prefer it to their meandering jam albums. Someone's got to reign in the band for those of us that aren't stoned when we listen to DMB. I think the songwriting is better on this release than most DMB CDs and I credit that, at least partially, to the producer. The reaction from the critics was mixed. Entertainment Weekly loved it, giving it a grade of A- while allmusic.com gave it only 2 of 5 stars. Metacritic has it rated at 63. I put myself somewhere in the middle.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1

Tracks: I like Dreamgirl, Old Dirt Hill, Stand Up, Louisiana Bayou, Steady As We Go, and Hunger For The Great Light. Out Of My Hands with its ostinato upbeats on the pitch A 220 is hauntingly beautiful. Worth skipping are American Baby Intro and You Might Die Trying.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Reminds me of the summer of 2005 when I was in graduate school at the University of Houston. This is definitely a summer CD.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Weekend on the Rocks (2005)
Live at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado (2002)

Earth, Wind & Fire - Illumination (2005)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

EW&F is one of my all-time fav groups, particularly their output in the late '70s. My teenage son loves them, too (that's a sign of good parenting). Here, they've tried to update their sound and have a lot of guests, but every now and then you can hear the old sound coming through. The classic Phenix Horn section isn't here, but they've been replaced by Jerry Hey and other session musicians, so it's not too different. Also joining the band on this disc are will.i.am, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Raphael Saadiq, Big Boi, Kelly Rowland, Sleepy Brown, Floetry, Brian McKnight, and Kenny G (really?). It looks like EW&F was trying to create their own version of Santana's Supernatural. While Philip Bailey is in fine voice, what's missing the most is the songwriting of Maurice White (sadly, White is battling Parkinson's disease). Still, it is a welcome album from a group that can update its sound without embarrassing itself: neo-soul over hip-hop beats with just a touch of horns. It's not the EW&F CD I would hope for, but it'll do. I must have purchased this CD at Target, because, in addition a bonus track, it has 2 more "Target Exclusive Bonus Tracks".

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #32

Tracks: Songs like Pure Gold, Love's Dance, Liberation, and To You sound like classic EW&F. Other good songs include Show Me The Way, Work It Out, and Pass You By. I want to skip This Is How I Feel and Elevated. Also, The One is so repetitive you've heard the whole song within the first 10 seconds, but the song goes on for another 5 minutes.

Bonus tracks: Kenny G and EW&F cover Outkast's The Way You Move. That doesn't even look good on paper. This is the only Kenny G in my collection for good reason. The second bonus track, Love Together, is a strong track, but too repetitive (these guys must have forgotten how to write a bridge). Let Me Love You featuring Floetry is forgettable and not the best way to end a disc.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This disc is reminding me of youth soccer games at the fields beside Linnie Roberts Elementary School.

Heaven 17 - Before After (2005)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

I was a big fan of Heaven 17 back in high school, particularly their first two albums, which were filled with great electronic dance music. Starting with their third album, they started getting more experimental and started to lose me. After a few releases of average music (including Bigger Than America), the group gets back to their roots: techno/funk/soul/dance tunes, and good ones. However, they've updated their sound for the new millennium. You won't find analog synths here. My sons wouldn't like this music, but they're not the target audience. This is music is for balding middle-aged men like the one in my mirror and that guy loves it.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: I'm disappointed in the 38 minute play time. The opener I'm Gonna Make You Fall In Love Me sounds like a Prince tune; I can't sit still. Other great dance tracks are Hands Up to Heaven, The Way It Is, Deeper and Deeper, The band also covers the Blue Öyster Cult classic Don't Fear the Reaper and I'm not sure if they did it as a tongue-in-cheek joke, but somehow they pull it off. Don't bother with the last two tracks, What Would It Take and Someone For Real.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Yelling "More cowbell!" every time Don't Fear The Reaper comes on, just like you do.

Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams (2005)

Johnson has a singer-songwriter formula that works for him: mellow, folksy, feel good songs that put his relaxed voice together with a guitar. He doesn't take risks and doesn't really need to. Hey, that same formula worked for years for James Taylor, so it's got a proven track record. This CD is a stress-buster, for sure. But Johnson's formula is pretty one dimensional and gets old pretty quick. Maybe that's why this is the only Jack Johnson album I have. Still, if you need some background music while watching a summer sunset, you could do worse.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #2 (March 26, 2005)

Tracks: Never Know is by far the best song on the album, but Better Together, Banana Pancakes, Good People, and Sitting Waiting Wishing are all good songs. Unfortunately, this album falls apart at the end (how long has it been since I wrote that about a CD?!?).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This CD reminds me of the first college course I ever taught, fall semester 2005. Not long into the semester, a female student came to class wearing a t-shirt with a picture of this album cover on the front. I was able to have a conversation with an undergrad about contemporary music and immediately became the cool teacher. Unfortunately, that designation only lasts until the next exam.

A few months after that, I unfortunately happened to be sitting near some 6th grade girls (just my luck) and one of them had Banana Pancakes as her ring tone.