Bummed at the thought of your mundane back-to-school choices? It’s not too late to enroll at the San Francisco area Chime School and takes classes on some A-levels jangle. Schoolmaster Andy Pastalaniec has put together an 11 song lesson plan entitled The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel that will introduce students to the fine points of superior song-craft and Rickenbacker 12-string guitar technique. The Chime School music library gets a full workout here, drawing on myriad elements of 1960s and 1980s jangle texts in new and inventive ways. The lessons begin and end with some strong Cure vibes to my ears, with both “The End” and “Points of Lights” dropping some serious Robert Smith-like guitar lines. “Give Your Heart Away” has a Smithsian melancholy while I could hear REM doing “(I Hate) the Summer Sun.” Then “Words You Say” harkens further back to the 1960s folk rock scene. You won’t be drifting off to sleep in these classes because the pacing of so many of the songs here is just relentless. “Why Don’t You Come Out Tonight” adds impressive percussive elements amidst rapid fire jangle guitar licks. “Another Way Home,” “Desperate Days” and “Say Hello” all ride a river of  jangle. The current video release “Wandering Song” is the obvious candidate for album valedictorian, leaping out from the start with an insurgent lead guitar lick that keeps looping back in throughout the song. Though “Negative Monday” is a pretty impressive jangle case study too, combining delicious guitar hooks with a decidedly melancholic melody.

Chime School is back in session and ready to take on pupils. Click the hyperlinks to register and download your course materials. Homework never sounded so good.