Help Wanted [Explicit Lyrics]

Ted Quinn | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 17, 2003)
• Original Release Date: June 17, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Cholla Records
• ASIN: B0000A1PVB
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,592 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. La Porte, Indiana

2. Death of Cool

3. Tar Beach

4. 29 Palms

5. Don't/Shoot

6. Pride of Man

7. Billions & Billions

8. Apocalypse No (As A Matter of Policy; The Mighty Cubellis; Stones)

9. If U Do

10. Sky Cathedral (Apologies to Louise Nevelson)

11. Dave's Song (If That's What You Wanted)

12. Orange Sunshine

13. Tibetan Bells Bizeau

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE DEATH OF COOL- MAKING MUSIC THAT MATTERs., August 9, 2003

By 

Shawn O'connor (Yucca Valley, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Help Wanted (Audio CD)

Compact Discs, million's upon billions, stacked so high they'll pop a hole in the good Lord's roof! A major traffic jam of artists, bands, singer/songwriters, performers, and musicians has erupted. Which direction do we go, what car do we hitch a ride from, which exit takes us to the promised land? "This is a time of leaving, brother/a time of no warning each other/this must be the death of cool." So sings Ted Quinn on his CD effort entitled Help Wanted. And why should you or I care? What is the point of laying down another 15 bucks of our hard earned jack just on the off chance that the answer as well as the musical question will come roaring out of the speakers when this finally makes it's way into your CD player? Popular music is so saturated, colorless, and limp that the element of "taking a chance on music" has been murdered. No, I'll one up that notion, not just murdered, but reduced to something even more deadly, those two tranquilized words ... "who cares!" Thus, all the danger and excitement is gone, the chance taking, the triumph and defeat, the possibility that the music and lyrics are so deeply offbeat in there profundity that they might actually change your life, or at least open your mind and ears up to it. This, brothers and sisters, must be the death of cool. And now for the resurrection. Ted Quinns, Help Wanted, is 13 songs of introspective, social, and political protest. Soft lullaby, acoustically infectious tunes that find a Dylan influence walking around inside them, chatting with John Lennon over happy hour cocktails, discussing the latest war and the ever enduring melody of forever as the Tibetan bells chime in the desert breeze. One also finds more up tempo rockers that Quinn crones a barrage of poetic musings and strong well traveled philosophies that he seemingly pulls from that old worn trunk this vagabond earth wander, that now calls the Mojave desert home, has carried around with him for years. Like that cholla cactus that is always getting stuck in your socks, the songs begin to stick to your soul and, unlike the cactus, you refuse to get the pillars out of the tool box to pull them out! Tracks like Death of Cool, Tar Beach, Sky Cathedral, Dave's Song, and Orange Sunshine highlight a diverse well of ideas and emotion that can only be called "original" and deeply elevating. They have staying power. They risk themselves in sleeping and in waking. They are worth that ever illusive "chance." The one track that really sticks it's thumb out on the highway of life is If U Do. This little gem will someday make Quinn a teenage heart throb if not a major player in the singer/sonwriter genre. The first moments of background noise and movement draw the listener close. The initial droning of the chord progression, that insues, brings on and evokes that mood of edgy, uncertain elements in love and potential loss. The music begins to embrace you. The song is delicate yet street tough. A lament and a bursting joy. His lover must leave and only then does he discover the depth of his feeling. The chorus, in it's undeniable "sing a long," catchiness, screams for her not to go, or at least, not to go far. This gem is not only worth the cab fare, it's worth the ride. "With my limited ability on this guitar/I'm going to try to reach you where ever you are." And reach he does. This is worth the gamble and the coin. Ted Quinn plays with fire and doesn't care if he gets burned. Come rediscover solid song writing, poetic verse, and a willingness to run for your life across the shaky rope bridge burning down, like a lit firecracker wick, behind you.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the rebirth of cool, October 21, 2004

By 

na "not" (Erewhon, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help Wanted (Audio CD)

Ted's song The Death of Cool is starting to get airplay at some of the more hip universities as well as obscure radio stations in small desert towns. This is a beautiful work with intricate wordsmithing. The songs are complex as well as simple and the layers of sound can create an amazing sense of depth. The refrain of "Maria" on the song La Porte, Indiana sends chills down my spine. Ted's observation and wit is right on during these turbulant, war torn times. It's a breathe of fresh air to hear someone fighting for things like peace, love and understanding - something there is much too little of these days.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life in a Hi-Desert Sky Cathedral, September 29, 2004

By 

Adrienne J "ElegantBaz" (Joshua Tree, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help Wanted (Audio CD)

Ted is one of those rare people who can touch anyone, no matter what level they imagine themselves to be on. His words, whether sung or spoken, are timeless, yet of the moment. Would that everyone could have a being in their life like this man. Since that doesn't seem possible, the next best thing is this CD. To be honest, it's not my favourite one he's done (Colorbox was my favourite...), but it still frequents my CD player. Help is there for those who ask.