Useful Music
Useful Music is a studio album initially released in May 1999 under the SMG Records label by Josh Joplin Band, and again in January 2001 through Artemis Records after the band had renamed itself Josh Joplin Group following a change in its line-up. While the album did not enjoy widespread commercial success, it peaked at #22 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and spawned a moderate hit with its first single, "Camera One", which quickly reached #1 on the Triple A airplay chart, the highest position ever achieved by an independent release at that point. Featuring a more rock-edged, radio-friendly sound than most of the other material on Useful Music, the song was also featured in an episode of the comedy series Scrubs.
Track listing
Original release (1999)
All songs written by Josh Joplin.| Track | Title | Producer | Engineer | Mixer | Mastering | Length |
| 1 | "Matter" | Jerry Harrison | Karl Derfler | Tom Lord-Alge | Ted Jensen | 4:13 |
| 2 | "Gravity" | Shawn Mullins | Russ Fowler, Alex Lowe | Phil Nicolo | Greg Calbi | 3:04 |
| 3 | "Here I Am" | Rob Gal, Mullins | Fowler | Matt Chiaravalle | Calbi | 4:18 |
| 4 | "Far Away" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 2:54 |
| 5 | "Undone" | Mullins | Fowler | Nicolo | Calbi | 4:09 |
| 6 | "I've Changed" | Mullins | Fowler | Nicolo | Calbi | 4:13 |
| 7 | "Trailways" | Mullins | Fowler | Chiaravalle | Calbi | 3:59 |
| 8 | "Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 4:01 |
| 9 | "Phil Ochs" | Allan Broyles, Josh Joplin | Charles “Chicky” Reeves | Fowler | Calbi | 3:12 |
| 10 | "Superstar" | Mullins | Fowler | Chiaravalle | Calbi | 3:33 |
| 11 | "Human" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 4:25 |
| 12 | "Dutch Wonderland" | Mullins | Fowler | Fowler | Calbi | 3:54 |
Re-release (2001)
All credits are the same as the original release except where noted.- "Matter"
- "Gravity"
- "Here I Am"
- "Undone"
- "Camera One" - 4:33
- * Producer: Jerry Harrison
- * Engineer: Karl Derfler
- * Mixer: Tom Lord-Alge
- * Mastering: Ted Jensen
- "I've Changed"
- "Trailways"
- "Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?"
- "Phil Ochs"
- "Superstar"
- "Human"
- "Dutch Wonderland"
- "I've Changed " - 4:21
- * Producer: Peter Collins
- * Engineer: F. Reid Shippen
- * Mastering: Greg Calbi
Album credits
Personnel
- Kenny Aronoff - drums
- Allen Broyles - backing vocals, piano, trumpet, organ, accordion, harmonium, keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano
- Jason Buecker - percussion, drums, backing vocals
- Ani Cordero - backing vocals
- Deb Davis - electric guitar
- Joe Gore - electric guitar
- Carl Herrgesell - electric guitar
- Danny Howes - electric guitar
- Clay Johnson - backing vocals
- Josh Joplin - lead and backing vocals, Rhodes electric piano, harmonica, acoustic guitar
- David Kostiner - drums
- Diana Mangano - backing vocals
- Geoff Melkonian - backing vocals, electric bass, double bass, viola
- Shawn Mullins - guitar, piano, backing vocals
- Pamela Sixfin - violin
- Eric Taylor - drums
- Kris Wilkinson - string arrangement
Production
- John Bentham - photography
- Chris Bilheimer - art direction
- Allen Broyles - producer
- Greg Calbi - mastering
- Matt Chiaravalle - mixer
- Peter Collins - producer
- Karl Derfler - engineer
- Russ Fowler - engineer, mixer
- Daniel Glass - executive producer
- Jerry Harrison - producer
- J. Reid Hunter - legal
- Ted Jensen - mastering
- Josh Joplin - producer
- Matt Lively - illustration
- Tom Lord-Alge - mixer
- Alex Lowe - engineer
- Shawn Mullins - producer
- Phil Nicolo - mixer
- Charles “Chicky” Reeves - engineer
- Anthony J. Resta - drum and keyboard programmer
- F. Reid Shippen - engineer