Country Club

This record is just so much fun to listen to. I'm not crazy about every single song, but a few stand outs are "Take These Chains from My Heart" and "Stop the World and Let Me Off." Makes me want to break out my Buck Owens records and pull out the barbeque. John Doe has a great voice for both the earlier punk-influenced rock (X was never punk in my book - not a criticism) but especially country. The Sadies swing and honky tonk with the best of them.

I heard John Doe interviewed on NPR and was an immediate fan (first time I'm heard of him). The only thing that I was disappointed with was that "There [Here?] Stands the Glass" was not on this album. He played it on the show and it immediately grabbed me. Since they were promoting this "new" country album, I just knew it would be on the Country Club Album. Alas and Alack, it is not there - nor can I find it anywhere. Other than that a really fabulous country album. Can't imagine him singing anything else!

John Doe’s penchant for country and roots has never been a secret. Though originally pegged as a punk rock singer with X, the acoustic spin-off Knitters and his solo work demonstrated he could sing effectively in quieter settings. Paired here with the Sadies, he capitulates fully to the classic country music that’s so clearly influenced him. Best of all, he sings in a relaxed style that unlocks new levels of tone and tempo. The Sadies, for their part, are as tight as the Nashville A-listers who originally cut these tunes behind Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette and Bobby Bare. But as easily as they pick the original fiddle-and-steel instrumental “Ping Mountain Rag” and Western-tinged guitar hoedown “The Sudbury Nickel,” they also render “The Night Life” with enough atmosphere to suggest the debauchery of “House of the Rising Sun” and add a spacey edge to “’Till I Get it Right.” Doe proves himself not just a compelling singer, but an excellent stylist. He’s obviously a fan (and in some cases a student) of the originals, but he’s not slavishly devotional. He picks up on Carl Mann’s upbeat rockabilly treatment of “Take These Chains From My Heart” (which itself was quite distinct from Hank Williams’ and Ray Charles’ sorrowful takes), but converts the driving original into a bouncier country beat. His take on “(Now and Then) There’s a Fool Such as I” follows Hank Snow’s slow original (or even more closely, Jim Reeves’ cover) rather than Elvis’ upbeat take. This is everything that Doe’s fans have waited for over the years: a great set of songs filtered through effortless vocal performances and backed by the encyclopedic and tasteful chops of the Sadies. Like all great covers albums, this one will remind you of the original versions’ greatness without sending you scrambling to hear them. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

Heard John Doe interviewed on KUT (Austin) and had to get the album. I was not dissappointed! Great job on your country venture!

I was pleasantly surprised by this. Have been a fan of John Doe and X since they hit the national scene back in 19??, but never saw this coming from him. Listened to him on NPR (All Things Considered or was the Fresh Air?) and it was interesting that he talked about listening to country music, especially when he was younger, like many of us did growing up in the sixties. Also, the Sadies are a group I've never listened to and was quite impressed with. It's old music with a nice twist and definitely worth a listen.

John Doe sounds great with the Sadies. As a Sadies fan I like that they are getting back to the New/old country sound. This, there second effort as a backing band, I like this one, a little more, than the one one they did with Jon Langford. Dallas and Travis Good shine on this record.

ive been waiting for a c.d. like this...i dont listen to country music...but i like this

11 is 12,