Music Library: Jean Shepard, Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, Jeff Buckley, Jeff Mangum, Jeff Tweedy

Jean Shepard - "Twice The Lovin' (In Half The Time)." Awesome fun country song with Speedy West's amazing steel guitar all over it.

The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience - Love Songs (1986). Later renamed the JPS Experience! This is a kiwi-rock band with the classic kiwi-rock trappings (angular post-punk approach, catchy guitar-pop hooks, lo-fi sound). The JPS Experience was definitely on the poppier side of the equation, with a sound not too unlike that of Felt or early Belle & Sebastian at times.

Jeff Buckley - Live At Sin-e (Legacy Edition) (1993) and Grace (1994). Not a fan. Both of these were gifts, both meant to sell me on Jeff Buckley, but I'm just not into it. Yes, he had a lovely falsetto. But it don't move me. Yes, he had decent taste in covers. But it don't move me. Yes, it is tragic that he passed away so young. And that, that actually moves me. But not enough to enjoy his music.

Jeff Mangum - Live At Aquarius Records (1997), Live At Jittery Joe's (1997), and XFM Radio Session May 1998. Two bootlegs and one official release, although I confess that I first picked it (Jittery Joe's, I mean) up when it was still a bootleg. I've since bought the official release. Mangum is, of course, the voice and brains behind Neutral Milk Hotel, and these albums all consist of Mangum playing acoustic. I love Mangum's music, and I love these albums. The unreleased tracks "Oh Sister" and "My Dreamgirl Don't Exist" are highlights for me.

Jeff Tweedy - Music From The Film Chelsea Walls (2002). With Tweedy messing around on piano and guitar for incidental music and actors like Robert Sean Leonard singing Wilco songs, I don't know if there's much here to care about. It seems like Tweedy was trying to emulate Neil Young's excellent soundtrack to Dead Man, but Young's score is anything but restrained. Jimmy Scott's version of "Jealous Guy" is pretty cool, though.