RollingStone review of John Doe Album

Thanks to BlueJ615 for sending this in!- John Doe plays Liz’s dad on Roswell.

The article is located at rollingstone.com.

(3 Stars)
The John Doe Thing
Freedom Is
Spin Art, 2000

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