2005-03-22
John Doe is something of a renaissance man.He builds on this reputation with this, his 5th solo recording. Now, please don't lump John in as being Waits-ian just because he's an actor and has a dark, interesting personality. Rather, think of Bruce Cockburn. Smart as a whip, adventurous, genre-bending, and somehow equally optimistic and pessimistic. That must mean he's seen the world.
On the new disc, Doe paints a dusty American scene with help from the likes of Dave Alvin, Grant Lee Phillips, Neko Case and Kristin Hersh. Though these are somewhat Big Name artists, they make no attempt to re-write the songs in their image. Instead, they seem to be augmenting John's best batch of songs yet out of humble respect.
It'd be easy to say there's something here for everyone - rockers, acoustic performances, electronically-enhanced tunes... it's a winner.
Linus.
THE WINTERPILLS
The Light Divides
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
The Polyphonic Spree
Together We're Heavy
John Hiatt
Same Old Man
UNA
The Laughing Man
THE PRETENDERS
Break Up The Concrete
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