Year One

GARED O'DONNELL (PLANES MISTAKEN FOR STARS) had a very crappy year. Essentially, his band broke up, and his wife dumped him. Bummer! Apparently, all that misery combined with anxiety attacks and excessive drinking make you want to escape your nightmarish existence, so Gared went to Gainesville to "record his solo album". While he was there, he was befriended/rescued by none other than guitar/bass maestro CHAD "MALIBU" DARBY. Along the way, GEORGE "REBEL WITH AN O" REBELO (HOT WATER MUSIC, AGAINST ME!) inadvertently got roped into helping write keyboard parts and a wee bit of drumming while he was at it. Other supporting players include the illustrious JON GAUNT, MATT RADDICK and CHRIS WOLLARD. The resulting album is as bleak as it is depressing. It also features the most blatant Motown/Afghan Whigs bites of Gared's fabulous musical career. To say that there are pop nuggets lurking within this seething document of a life collapsing on itself is an understatement. This is Mr. O'Donnell at his most honest and transparent. Despite it all, Year One is a cathartic and genuinely uplifting experience. For real!