John Doe: Freedom Is... : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Here's hoping that before John Doe focuses on being a full-time character actor, he knocks out a few more albums as strong as this one. The ex-leader of classic Los Angeles punk band X clearly still has some wonderful, rootsy music in him. On Freedom Is . . ., he's backed by some of L.A.'s stronger players, including drummer Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.) and guitarists Michael Ward (Wallflowers) and Smokey Hormel (Tom Waits, Beck), and aided and abetted by co-producer Dave Way (Macy Gray, Christina Aguilera). On "Ever After," Doe rocks out with his X-ex Exene Cervenka; he shows a world-weary side on the musically peppier "Beat-up World." "Too Many Goddamn Bands" ends with these inspired lines: "The bottom drops out/The juice runs out/The power goes down/Everything has that sucking sound." The John Doe Thing's commercial prospects may be limited, but there's no sucking sound here. (RS 849)

DAVID WILD