On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 01:20:32PM +0100, Chris G wrote:

I'm trying to play a CD on my [xubuntu] 9.04 Linux box, without much success at the moment. [...] Is there not an application that plays a CD without all this paraphernalia? Any suggestions for a bear of very little (audio) brain like me?

Lately, I've put a CD into a Gnome laptop and it popped up a window that offered to let me play it. I think it used Totem. In the past, I've used cdtool, cdplay from the command-line and even grip I think. Most of my CDs that I listen to while at my desk have been copied to disk now, though. Fewer extra moving parts to go wrong. Good luck!