I hear ya. Yes, I too find a spellcasting bard pretty easy to swallow to in comparison to all these. I always think of a bard's spells as expressions of their music, so subtle effects (buffs, enchantment, healing, abjurations) seem highly appropriate, while illusions and a few other spells are much less so. If I had my druthers, I'd pare down their spell list significantly and give them a completely different spellcasting method, for example no components other than music (or perhaps singing + various instruments as foci), and you have to play for 1 full round per spell level to acheive the effect.
When I think bard I think of Orpheus, the nordic runemasters and skalds, the Finnish magicians... there's a rich tradition of characters that work their magic through song, poetry, and/or music. The second edition bard, on the other hand, gave me a stomachache.
But for a mundane bard... it's a niche already half-filled by the rogue and aristocrat. I think a d10 HD is a little much for a class whose skills areas are supposed to be knowledge and social skills, and without spells to worry about getting some of the fighter in there is better handled by multiclassing. Then you could have the raging bard by adding a bit of brbarian, the soldier-skald by adding a bit of fighter, etc.
I would do d8 HD, medium BAB, and instead of the rogue special abilities (uncanny dodge, evasion, sneak attack) give them bardic music (for sneak attack), bardic lore (for uncanny dodge), allow any bard or rogue skill as a class skill. And probably throw in a handful of bonus feats as you go up in levels, say 4 or 5.
Ben
