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Avg: 4.0 (91 ratings)
- Date Released: March 22, 2005
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Alt-Country, Rock
- Label: Yep Roc Records / Redeye
The demons loom large over Doe's solo record
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We Say...
John Doe's Forever Hasn't Happened Yet is a totally solid record, a very grown-up album with the sort of songs you only get from people who have confronted (not conquered — they can never be conquered) their demons and lived to spin some yarns.
On the album's most X-like track, "Hwy. 5," Doe duets with alt-country darling Neko Case, singing confidently but gently about late-night getaways, yet again tapping the rebel well to cast himself as the lonely wanderer, the outsider who shall never be tamed. But, if anything, Doe does sound tamed on Forever, albeit — here's the important distinction — tamed on his own terms. He sounds comfortable with an acoustic in his hands instead of a phallic Stratocaster, and pleased to be backed by a bunch of not-ashamed-to-be-professional musicians. Yet as far as this record takes Doe from his X legacy, remnants remain, especially in the number of songs that feature male-female duets. Aside the Case cut, there are two with Cindy Lee Berryhill ("Your Parade," "Repeat Performance"), and there's one with Kristin Hersh ("Ready") that sounds just like his old band.
Joined on most of the album by Grant-Lee Phillips and ex-Blasters dude/latter-day X-man Dave Alvin, this is pretty much straight-on country music with roughened edges and prickly centers. Years ago Doe recognized that he no longer needed to filter his country love through punk's fractured prism, and this record furthers that realization. After all, country was born punk, and forever shall she be. -
They Say...
Since John Doe left active duty with X, he's released a series of solo albums that, in a variety of different ways, have drawn many listeners to the same conclusion -- he's still a superb singer and a strong songwriter, but there's just something missing from his work on his own, which lacks the force and resonance of his music with X. It isn't necessarily tied to the fact that he doesn't rock as hard, given how powerful his work was with X's acoustic side project, the Knitters, and it shouldn't be a matter of not having good collaborators, as Doe's 2005 solo set, Forever Hasn't Happened Yet, boasts an impressive set of talented guests. Longtime colleague Dave Alvin adds guitar and vocals to three cuts, Neko Case contributes a strong and sexy backing vocal on "Hwy. 5" (co-written with Exene Cervenka, and not coincidentally the most X-like song on board), Grant Lee Phillips lends splendid harmonies to "Twin Brother," the criminally underappreciated Cindy Lee Berryhill shines on two songs, and Kristin Hersh sounds like a force of nature on "Ready." Doe himself sings beautifully throughout, and there are a few top-shelf songs here, especially the evocative "Twin Brother," the graceful "Your Parade," and the bitter charge through "Ready." But ultimately, too much of Forever Hasn't Happened Yet is made up of songs that don't quite hit their target, either musically or emotionally; it's full of fine moments, but doesn't cohere into a solid whole, though most of it is good enough to keep hope alive that Doe will bat 1.000 next time he heads into the studio.
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| 01. |  |
The Losing Kind with Dave Alvin And Grant Lee Philips |
2:33 |
|
| 02. | |
Heartless with Dave Alvin And Grant Lee Philips |
2:28 |
|
| 03. | |
Mama Don't with Veronica Jane And Dave Alvin |
2:47 |
|
| 04. | |
Twin Brother with Grant Lee Philips |
3:43 |
|
| 05. | |
Hwy 5 with Neko Case |
2:52 |
|
| 06. | |
Worried Brow |
3:07 |
|
| 07. | |
Your Parade with Cindy Lee Berryhill |
2:28 |
|
| 08. | |
There's A Black Horse with Smokey Hormel |
2:21 |
|
| 09. | |
Ready with Kristin Hersh |
2:59 |
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| 10. | |
She's Not |
2:22 |
|
| 11. | |
Repeat Performance with Ciny Lee Berryhill |
3:25 |
|
11 Total Tracks, 31:05 Total Length
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Credits
- Cindy Lee Berryhill - Vocals // Dave Alvin - Guitar // Dave Alvin - Guitar // John Doe - Guitar (Acoustic) // John Doe - Guitar (Electric) // John Doe - Vocals // John Doe - Producer // John Doe - Slide Guitar // Kristin Hersh - Vocals // Kristin Hersh - Producer // Stuart Johnson - Percussion // Stuart Johnson - Drums // Jamie Muhoberac - Organ // Jamie Muhoberac - Piano // Jamie Muhoberac - Melodica // Grant Lee Phillips - Guitar // Grant Lee Phillips - Vocals // Alan Yoshida - Mastering // Smokey Hormel - Guitar // D.J. Bonebrake - Vibraphone // Neko Case - Vocals // Neko Case - Vocals // Jim Herrington - Photography // Neil Kellerhouse - Design // Dave Way - Strings // Dave Way - Tambourine // Dave Way - Producer // Dave Way - Engineer // Dave Way - Mixing // David J. Carpenter - Bass (Electric) // David J. Carpenter - String Bass // Veronica Jane - Vocals
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