Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
"Raw" and "honest" tend to be vastly overused words when it comes to rock music of any stripe, but they may just apply to John Doe's solo debut on the DGC label (spun off from Geffen). In some respects, this was always something of a trademark with Doe's former band, X, but there was always the whirlwind of Exene Cervenka carrying most of the weight of the vocals, and the frontline immediate image, while Doe was always just slightly back in the shadows, seemingly as anonymous as his name. Now he's out front, and the impact is quite immediate -- Meet John Doe roars into action with a blaze of Texas-styled rhythm guitar and a gorgeously weathered voice that's a sheer delight to listen to, even though the thrust of the song is, essentially, love and anger: "Let's Be Mad." There's a quite deliberate irony in the song and in the performance, and one can sometimes hear an undercurrent of bitter laughter in it all. The band backing Doe up is unpretentious, to say the least -- two guitarists, bass, and drums, with visits from piano and organ here and there, and scatterings of backing vocals. There's no effort to deliberately go after a certain style, though; this all has the feeling of falling together naturally, the way the best albums often do. Get a bunch of guys into the studio and let the music find its own direction. Doe is to be commended for this -- he could as easily have utterly cloned X, which would have provided him with a solid holding pattern but nothing more. There's a sadness pervading the selection of songs, though, but it's not depressing; instead, it's more like the earmark of some of the best country material, and the album's theme of personal expression could as easily been seen as an act of personal therapy -- a cleansing of the system. The final track, "My Offering," admits to a universal truth as the narrator, exhausted in an Atlanta hotel room, admits how much turns out badly, sees how people can be hurtful, comes to understand that he can do nothing to stop it -- and yet still has something to offer to someone, despite it all. Many of the lyrics here verge on raw poetry and carry a breathtaking force, partly because of the way they're delivered. Doe's worn voice is one of his greatest assets; the expansive sound of his music fits right in with that. All told, an excellent solo debut.
© Steven McDonald /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davitt Sigerson, Producer - JOHN DOE, MainArtist - John Nommensen Duchac, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
"Raw" and "honest" tend to be vastly overused words when it comes to rock music of any stripe, but they may just apply to John Doe's solo debut on the DGC label (spun off from Geffen). In some respects, this was always something of a trademark with Doe's former band, X, but there was always the whirlwind of Exene Cervenka carrying most of the weight of the vocals, and the frontline immediate image, while Doe was always just slightly back in the shadows, seemingly as anonymous as his name. Now he's out front, and the impact is quite immediate -- Meet John Doe roars into action with a blaze of Texas-styled rhythm guitar and a gorgeously weathered voice that's a sheer delight to listen to, even though the thrust of the song is, essentially, love and anger: "Let's Be Mad." There's a quite deliberate irony in the song and in the performance, and one can sometimes hear an undercurrent of bitter laughter in it all. The band backing Doe up is unpretentious, to say the least -- two guitarists, bass, and drums, with visits from piano and organ here and there, and scatterings of backing vocals. There's no effort to deliberately go after a certain style, though; this all has the feeling of falling together naturally, the way the best albums often do. Get a bunch of guys into the studio and let the music find its own direction. Doe is to be commended for this -- he could as easily have utterly cloned X, which would have provided him with a solid holding pattern but nothing more. There's a sadness pervading the selection of songs, though, but it's not depressing; instead, it's more like the earmark of some of the best country material, and the album's theme of personal expression could as easily been seen as an act of personal therapy -- a cleansing of the system. The final track, "My Offering," admits to a universal truth as the narrator, exhausted in an Atlanta hotel room, admits how much turns out badly, sees how people can be hurtful, comes to understand that he can do nothing to stop it -- and yet still has something to offer to someone, despite it all. Many of the lyrics here verge on raw poetry and carry a breathtaking force, partly because of the way they're delivered. Doe's worn voice is one of his greatest assets; the expansive sound of his music fits right in with that. All told, an excellent solo debut.
© Steven McDonald /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:46:39
- Main artists: JOHN DOE
- Composer: John Nommensen Duchac
- Label: Geffen
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.