John Doe: Forever Hasn't Happened Yet : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

On his fifth solo album, John Doe proves again that this punk legend/journeyman actor can still make great music. Doe has been mining a vein of stripped-down folk rock for years, but his melodies are sharper this time out, and his tunes are more accessible. Songs such as the elegant lament "Twin Brother" showcase Doe's world-weary baritone and his gift for lonesome lyrics. "Hwy. 5," co-written with Exene Cervenka, features Neko Case sitting in for Cervenka, but there's no mistaking the classic X male-female dynamic. "5" is a hard-rocking apocalyptic fantasy: two lovers against a brutal world. When Doe announces, "The moon is bright and the road is clear," on "The Losing Kind," he's a ringer for Jim Morrison; by the time his pal Dave Alvin's guitar kicks in with some serious noir licks, you feel as if you're driving down some lonely Pacific highway. Enjoy the ride.