In a message dated 8/29/2004 12:03:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
audities-owner@smoe.org writes:
 
<<>I went to a BBQ today and not only was Michael Shelley  there but so was 
>Glenn Tilbrook's manager/publisher. She said he's had a  new solo album out 
>since June. Maybe I'm out of it, but did people  mention that, and was it 
>good?

People did mention it, and as far  as I could gather, critical opinion both
here and in the outside world can  best be summed up as: eh.>>
 
 

I guess it depends... if you're like me and are the type of Squeeze fan who  
owns all the albums, and counts lesser-known fare like "Frank" in your  
favorites, then you'll probably find it's worth your money. And despite some  fairly 
strong songwriting and an overall more cohesive vibe than his first solo  
album, a good deal of it seems to pass by somewhat inoffensively. I like it and  
am glad I bought it, but then again I own all the Squeeze albums  
anyway--anything voiced by Tilbrook is a definite "buy" for me. It just probably  won't 
make my year-end top 10 like his last one did. 
 
BTW I just returned from my trip to London and Athens. I want to thank  
everyone who gave me some great record-store recommendations: While I didn't  have 
time to go to all of them, and the disastrous exchange rate curtailed most  of 
my impulses, I did come home with a nice little pile. And even when I didn't  
buy anything, it was great to browse in stores where the offerings were so 
much  different than we have back in the US.
 
Unfortunately, due to a bad set of circumstances, I missed the  
ever-important Rough Trade store. We went to visit a friend who conveniently  moved from 
Boston to Notting Hill just three weeks ago, and he definitely didn't  *get* 
"record shopping" as an idea (quote: "I'd imagine they're selling pretty  much 
the same stuff as back home...") so I didn't want to push him around too  much, 
just stopping briefly in the stores along Portobello Road (of which  there 
didn't seem to be many, actually). But it also means I didnt  even look at my 
notes to find that Rough Trade is located just a half block OFF  Portobello Road, 
so I missed it entirely. Oh well... I saved some money,  and since he lives 
only two blocks away maybe I'll visit sometime and take a  walk over.--Jason