Southpaw Jones -  The Southpaw Jones Starter Kit


-  Song Profiles  ( 12 )  

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I was a few months removed from college graduation when I decided it was time to make a go at my dream.  
This is a starter kit for both the listener and the artist, as it was my first extended experience in the studio.
 
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TRACKS:

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1.   Having More Fun
 
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This opener is simply a cocky pop song about life-long competition.  Some measure success by money, relationships, accomplishments;  I try to guage life's value according to fun.  How much fun do I actually pack in to my schedule?  Admittedly, not much, but that's all going to change tomorrow.
 
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2.   Her Heart's in Alabama
 
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A song for my sister's wedding in 1998.  The story of her love for a state and a man therein.  At this point, the words are completely inaccurate, as she now lives in Houston and I've moved to Los Angeles.  The emotion still rings true, though.
 
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3.   One Mistake

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A fairly straightforward and worthless rock song about the fragile nature of relationships.
 
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4.   Communist Girlfriend

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Ah, yes, this is actually a parody of my own song called "Atheist Girlfriend."   As with most novelty songs, my audience quickly lost interest in the cheeky word play of the original, so I decided to completely rework it.  A third version may even pop up someday.  Geriatric Girlfriend, anyone?  
 ... 
   Anyhow, there was no single inspiration for this tune, although I've always been attracted to Marxist leanings.  The drum sound on the CD is the original click track designed only to keep my timing accurate.  I loved it so much during playback that we left it in, much to my co-producer's chagrin.
 
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5.   Straightaway

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Here lies a song about idealism and youth in the key of C.  A lesser songwriter's "Born to Run," if you will.  I don't know that I believe it anymore, but it's still fun to play.  This recording features one of my few attempts at a guitar solo.
 
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6.   White Boy Blues

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One of my proudest moments as a satirist, and one of my most misunderstood songs.  This is something of a tribute to my father, who has long lamented the current "persecution" of the white man.  I think we white males would have to go through quite a bit more hardship before we can start feeling sorry for ourselves.  The song is a tounge-in-cheek expression of the jealousy I feel toward other races and groups who can actually awake in the morning with an inherited, meaningful reason to get up and fight the good fight.  What natural enemies pose a threat to the suburban white man in the year 2001?  Sun burn?  Credit card debt?  Wine coolers?
 
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7.   Another Place

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The result of a college freshman crush.  I love one-on-one conversation, especially when I'm getting to know someone, but I could never get this particular girl alone.  When I finally got to know her, I discovered how truly boring she was.  Luckily, I birthed the song before that point when she was a beautiful enigma and I was entranced.  
 
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8.   Soup Du Jour

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Originally titled "One Hit Wonder," this fast-pased, genre-bashing romp has caught the ear of many a radio-weary listener.
 
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9.   Girl from the Country

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I just wanted to write a sad, sad ballad, so I did.  People always ask me if it's a true story, and I honestly don't remember.
 
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10.  Surgery on Our Love

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This jazzy number goes way back.  It's just a collection of medically-themed puns, really.  Unfortunately, I can't perform it without a bass player.
 
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11.  Antique Mall

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I forced myself to choose between the lesser of two evils here:  Consumerism or Technology.  Consumerism won out, obviously, as I spend a few minutes praising the all-American shopping mall.  Since I wrote it, the Dot Com Revolution has seen its progress come to a screeching halt, while a new breed of mega-malls is spreading its seed across the heartland.  Interesting.  
 
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12.  To Be Someone

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Here's one of those songs that entered the studio a simple boy and came out a full-grown man.  It makes a nice autobiographical closer, and I'm quite proud of it.  
 
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CONTACT : 

Southpaw Jones
 - - - >>   http://www.southpawjones.com/

====================

-- 

Jett Black, Promo Consultant Helping Musicians Help Themselves!    http://www.NocturnalMovements.net/   
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...his largely acoustic new CD, The Southpaw Jones Starter Kit, has a busker's ragged spirit and an upstart wit that at best evokes Todd Snider or Loudon Wainwright III. His vocals can lapse into odd quirks and affectations, and some of his tunes are so clotted with words he can hardly breath. But when the hero of "White Boy Blues" postpones his class revolt because "Seinfeld's on and I'm eating a Cinnabon," you'll likely laugh out loud. 

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So it's been a week since the big rock and roll show and you, no doubt, have had a bunch of people coming to
you and saying something to the effect of "I like the cd" or "Your cd rocks my dead grandmother's ass!"  And
then there's that uncertainty in you that thinks "Do they really like it or are they just saying that because they
accidentally encountered me and feel obligated to offer a compliment?"  Or you may even think "Are those my
pants they're wearing?  They look like my pants."  So here i am to offer a little piece of mind.  #1) I'm not
wearing your pants.  #2) I have not accidentally encountered you in an uncomfortable situation in which i feel
obligated to offer a compliment.  Therefore, you can be sure that what i'm about to say is genuine. 

The cd which you have issued under a mediocre moniker (see title) doesn't suck much at all.  In fact, it's quite
good.  In fact, it rocks my dead grandmother's ass.  I really do like the cd.  I have to admit, it's ten times better
than what i expected.  I guess i expected it would sound like your live band shows, which are good, but the
magic of the studio has brought a completely new dimension to your music.  I think it shows that you are even
more creative than your songs already suggest.  I, my friend, am very impressed. 

You really do have something to be proud of with this cd and it's a great resume builder for both you and Nathan
(co-producer, engineer, owner of The Eggplant Co.).  Please pass on a compliment to him for a very
professional and wonderful sounding recording.  The recording itself is far beyond my expectations; very
impressive. 

Ok, i guess i can shut up now or else your head will get even bigger and that will make you look like you have
less hair and that's just weird.  But first i have to call you out on one thing.  In case you were unaware, "White
Boy Blues" blatantly steals a riff from Rolling Stones' "Honky-Tonk Women." I'm onto you Mister "Southpaw" if,
in fact, that is your real name. Stealing other people's songs, maybe your name should be "Puff" Jones.  Yeah it
think i like that better. 

Um...bye 
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During a recent trip to Nashville,on an otherwise boring Tuesday night,
I listened to Chuck "Southpaw" Jones doing a guest spot for a 
small, forgettable band. Southpaw's guitar sounded terrible,
his voice sucked, and yet his songs, melodically and lyrically,
stood out and made me smile.  So I bought the Starter Kit to see if 
I could find more of the same
I wasn't disappointed. The songs on Starter Kit have made me smile and sing along'
in my car on more than one occasion, and 
that's pretty high praise.  The lyrics are sometimes witty, 
sometimes touching, but always original and genuine
(Communist Girlfriend is a gem).  And Jones has hung his well-crafted 
lyrics on some pretty tasty hooks (thus my singing along). 
I don't mean TV jingle kind
of hooks.  I'm talking about sophisticated melodies, ryhthms
and rhyme schemes that call to mind early Bob Dylan, Loudon Wainwright III,
and Steve Forbert.  (yeah, I read another review on this
web site comparing Jones to early Dylan and Wainright, but 
I had the same thought independently.)
Yet this CD is far from a 
masterpiece.  For one thing, the production is amateurish.
Yes, that's to be expected, but some of these songs really
deserve more.  For another, Jones really can't sing (that
Tuesday night wasn't a fluke)  He gives it a college try
but Jones simply 
doesn't have the vocal depth or range to bring his songs,
especially the melodic ones, to their full 
potential. Listening to the Starter Kit is a bit like 
sampling some outtakes from Pete Townshend's Scoop
collection, which contains many unpolished gems that
later became Who songs.  Interesting and illuminating,
but give me Who's Next any day.
Still, if you appreciate inventive songwriting,
and you're in need of a smile, the Starter 
Kit is a fine place to start.    

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