Dreams Don't Count

Jules Shear | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 14, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mad Dragon Records
• ASIN: B000E6EJM0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,465 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

Jules Shear on Dreams Don’t Count:

"Well, I wrote a bunch of songs and Stewart [Lerman, record producer] said ‘Come on to New York and record them’. So I did it in the simplest possible way; primarily just voice and guitar. We cut maybe 25 songs in all. Peter [Lubin] heard the recordings and got in touch with me because he thought there was an album lurking in there. So, in a way, the concept for the album presented itself by me writing the songs." said Jules. In an era when each new album seems to be some manifestation of whatever is currently topping the charts, this is an album with nothing but the music itself in mind.

"It couldn't have been more natural, as it was a completely un-self-conscious creation and had no agenda at all" said Jules. "Thankfully, nobody said, ‘Hey, this guy made this kind of album, so maybe you ought to make this kind.’ In other words, I’m pleased to say that this record wasn't a reaction to anybody's work except maybe my own."

Product Description

Dreams Don’t Count is a distinctive exercise in record making for this preeminent American songwriter. Backed primarily by viola, cello, and accordion, this mature and wonderfully intelligent album allows Jules to showcase his talents in an extraordinary but unusual setting. Old and new fans alike will be thrilled by his one of a kind acoustic playing style and a voice that People Magazine has said, "make[s] him seem vulnerable and a bit insecure, a perfect match for lyrics about luckless, hopeless romantics". From darker, heartfelt tracks like "You Anymore" to more upbeat, though still introspective cuts like "Do What They Want," this album takes listeners on a journey that is emotionally and intellectually engaging. It is undeniably a high-water mark in Jules’ song craft.

"I care more about the timeless aspect of making records, and less about making my records sound 'current' or 'competitive'," explains Shear. "I'm still always looking for that same thrill I got when I was a kid, when I'd hear something great on the radio and be completely blown away by it. I try to keep in touch with that feeling and let the rest of it fall by the wayside."

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slow Moving River, April 30, 2006

By 

Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dreams Don't Count (Audio CD)

"Dreams Don't Count" is one of Jules Shear's most emotionally powerful sets. On the small Mad Dragon label, he settles comfortably into a spare singer-songwriter mode with help from producer Stewart Lerman who has worked with Dar Williams, the Roches & Damian Rice. The mood is often somber as on the reflection "You Anymore" where the singer is dressed up for a funeral and Shear sadly sings, "I still got a picture of you; it's not you anymore." "Do What They Want" is a peppy toe tapper with catchy chorus and Jules' vocals that sound like lament even when lighthearted, "This world's so big & heavy; people ain't no good, but they ain't bad; They might just spend their whole life searching for some dream they had." Deborah Assael-Migliore's lovely cello brings out Jules' meditative melody on the wistful "Accustomed to the Clearness," "I guess I got used to believing soon turned into truth, I'm not accustomed to the clearness, seeing everything new." Shear's tone turns sinister with his soft acoustic guitar backing "An Important Part," "You keep trying to hide your beauty so helplessly." Shear seems to have come to terms that he'll continue to be a critical success, "So from this place beneath the tree, I realize the world's not meant for me." The set ends with the title track, a lovely melody married to an equally excellent lyric, "There's nothing simpler than a beating heart, someone to make sure that winter doesn't get too cold, someone to make sure that your longing doesn't get too old." "Dreams Don't Count" is like a slow moving river that runs deep through a beautiful valley. It probably won't sell a million copies, but it stands as one of Shear's best recordings. Bravo!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, November 9, 2007

By 

T. Dickinson "tim_bo" (Stockbridge, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dreams Don't Count (Audio CD)

I've been a Jules Shear fan since the 70s, and this is his best release in awhile, one of the highlights in his catalog - my current favorite. The moods are mostly somber and the tempos mostly slow - it is somewhat reminiscent of the duets album but with much stronger material. Jules' voice isn't for everyone - sort of like an edgier Jackson Browne - but his vocals are effective here. The acoustic instrumentation fits the music well, and there isn't a drum kit to be heard anywhere. Beautiful, touching melodies abound and the reflective lyrics are often insightful.

Truth be told, I haven't been crazy about Jules' last several albums, but this one breaks the pattern and reminds us of his immense talent as a writer. A very, very strong release.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3++ this is a very good songwriter who has been around for more than 20 years and writes consistently good songs., March 9, 2007

By 

W. K. Funds - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dreams Don't Count (Audio CD)

3++ this is a very good songwriter who has been around for more than 20 years and writes consistently good songs.