Keeper

Co-founder of legendary L.A. punk band X, John Doe crafts a great, beautiful album with some all-out drivers and nice mellower numbers. It’s got some great rock ‘n’ rollers, some country flair, a few jazzy phrases. Instrumentation of guitar, bass, drums, lap steel, piano, sax, harmonica. Players include Smokey Hormel, Don Was, Howe Gelb, Patty Griffin, Greg Leisz, Jill Sobule. Some great lyrics. A fine album, all songs worth a listen and a play. No FCC’s.

*My Favorites*: Pick any - all are superb.

1. (3:40) Mid. Upbeat, great guitar work, pounding drums, backing vocals.
2. (4:01) Mid / Fast. False start then real start. Song about having stuff. Upbeat, drivin’, rockin’ rocker with guitar, bass, heavy drumbeat, horn, backing vocals. Killer.
3. (3:03) Slow / Mid. Mellow, strummed acoustic guitar, lap steel, drums, backing vocals.
4. (4:44) Mid. Big, full sound with guitar, bass, drums, organ, backing vocals. Soulfully rockin’.
5. (3:48) Mid. Upbeat, retro rocker, drum driven, with some rollicking piano phrases. Great vocal delivery, guitar soloing. Yeah.
6. (3:59) Slow. Nocturnal, jazzy number, with slow, plodding drum, lap steel, piano, mellow, mellow guitar. Very nice.
7. (2:15) Mid. Beautiful, country-ish, mellow folky song with nice, atmospheric guitar.
8. (2:41) Mid. Starts slow, then gets rockin’. Crunchy guitar, plodding beat.
9. (2:34) Fast. All-out rock ‘n’ roller, big sound, backing vocals
10. (5:03) Slow. Ballad with m / f harmonizing. lap steel. Beautiful.
11. (3:04) Mid. Story-song, Easy-going tune, referencing Merle Haggard and punk rock. Harmonica, piano, drums, guitar. Very cool.
12. (3:28) Mid / Fast. Another rock ‘n’ roller, piano, harmonica, pounding drums, harmonizing. Great stuff.