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Track Listings
| 1. Bayou Tortous |
| 2. Just Us Kids |
| 3. God Bless America (Pat MacDonald Must Die) |
| 4. Cheney's Toy |
| 5. Freeway View |
| 6. Hurricane Party |
| 7. Ruby and Carlos |
| 8. Brief Intermission |
| 9. Fireline Road |
| 10. The Governor |
| 11. Ruins of the Realm |
| 12. You'd a' Thought (Leonard Cohen Must Die) |
Editorial Reviews
James McMurtry is an American folk music singer-songwriter and occasional actor (Daisy Miller, Lonesome Dove). Lightning Rod Records releases McMurty's ninth album ,Just Us Kids, and it features 12 new songs as a follow-up to 2005's critically acclaimed and award-winning project, Childish Things. McMurtry makes a strong political statement on Just Us Kids. Joining McMurtry are the C.C. Adcock, Jon Dee Graham, Ian McLagan and Timbuk3's Pat MacDonald.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have no idea why some reviewers complain about the political content of some of James McMurtry's songs. He's been delivering rhetorical body blows ever since his first album and he surely sees no reason to stop now. So if you are a conservative like myself who enjoys McMurtry's music, you learn to laugh along with his well-honed and well-aimed jabs at those who have surely earned them. Sure he's a leftie, but how many good right-wing singer/songwriters can you think of?
Just Us Kids finds McMurtry delivering another flurry of blows against the empire, but it also finds him releasing another album of mostly thoughtful and well-crafted songs. Bayou Tortous is the best rocker, the caustic God Bless America the best polemic, and the creepy Fire Line Road, evocative of the style of Dave Alvin, is the best story. Some criticize him for singing of people living on the margins, but that is where some of the most compelling stories are found.
With Just Us Kids you get just over an hour's worth of music you'll want to hear again and again. The CD comes with a booklet containing the lyrics which unfortunately is crammed tightly inside the rather flimsy cardboard casing. Be careful when removing! Some ask why McMurtry isn't more famous. Well, if he keeps releasing CDs of this quality, his time is coming soon.
Just Us Kids finds McMurtry delivering another flurry of blows against the empire, but it also finds him releasing another album of mostly thoughtful and well-crafted songs. Bayou Tortous is the best rocker, the caustic God Bless America the best polemic, and the creepy Fire Line Road, evocative of the style of Dave Alvin, is the best story. Some criticize him for singing of people living on the margins, but that is where some of the most compelling stories are found.
With Just Us Kids you get just over an hour's worth of music you'll want to hear again and again. The CD comes with a booklet containing the lyrics which unfortunately is crammed tightly inside the rather flimsy cardboard casing. Be careful when removing! Some ask why McMurtry isn't more famous. Well, if he keeps releasing CDs of this quality, his time is coming soon.
28 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By hyperbolium
Format:Audio CD
McMurtry's built a sizeable resume since his 1989 John Mellancamp-produced debut and his 1991 collaboration with Mellencamp, John Prine, Joe Ely and Dwight Yoakam. The influences of that latter work still reverberates through his music, with Mellencamp's heartland rock, Prine's writerly words and Ely's maverick stance all providing input. Unlike those three, however, McMurtry often sings in a dry, near-monotone style that crosses the tuneful tunelessness of Dylan or Lou Reed with the wry asides of Ben Vaughn. His flat delivery seems at first like it would wear thin at album length, but his songs compel you forward, his band hits some exceptional grooves, and in the end, his singing and lyrical voices are closely aligned. McMurtry confronts current political issues with the sort of disgust that is surprisingly rare in contemporary music. The heavy blues "God Bless America" casts an eye on America's warrior-junkie pursuit of fossil fuels and the corporate soldiers taking point, and "Cheney's Toy" lays out the broad-scale and intimate impacts of the Iraq war. His measured vocals work perfectly here, keeping the bitter emotions at a steady, contemptuous simmer. Isolation pervades both "Hurricane Party" and "Fireline Road," the former allegorically tying to a storm's aftermath, the latter starkly spoken in its story of abuse. John Dee Graham plays a haunting guitar solo on the latter, Ian McLagan adds a terrific piano solo to "Freeway View," and Pat MacDonald blows blue harp for the harrowing homicide of "The Governor." McMurtry's a passionate man who ably expresses strong opinions with lyrical dexterity. He's effective with a limited vocal range, making up in tone and dynamics (and characters, stories and well-crafted phrases) what he lacks in notes. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]
26 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By Roberto H
Format:Audio CD
"Just Us Kids" is a great sounding album. The guitar grooves are toe-tapping on the electric songs and compelling on the accoustic ones. Really good stuff. In fact, it might be my favorite sounding album yet.
The reason why I hesitate to give it 5 stars, though, is the political songs on the album. As far as modern day political ballads go, they're pretty good - but that ain't exactly saying much (see Eddie Vedder's drivel on an otherwise outstanding soundtrack for "Into the Wild").
It's not his opinions that bother me (to each his own), it's the overtness of them that I don't like. I think McMurtry is at his best when his songs are more metaphoric, when he creates characters and stories that carry deeper meanings below the surface. For example, "Hurricane Party" (great song!) and "Just us Kids" do this very well, while his political songs ("Cheney's Toy" and "Ruins of the Realm") abandon subtlety in order to score way-too-obvious political points.
If he wants to make his anti-Bush and anti-corporation points, I'd like to see them couched in more timeless or symbolic terms - like Bob Dylan's "The Times, They are a Changin';" i.e. make the song be anti-Bush without ever mentioning his name. That way, it's not just anti-Bush but anti-anyone-who's-like-Bush. Plus, his message isn't just relevant for 2008 listeners but for 2028 listeners as well.
That being said, this is a great album and I've really enjoyed listening to it.
The reason why I hesitate to give it 5 stars, though, is the political songs on the album. As far as modern day political ballads go, they're pretty good - but that ain't exactly saying much (see Eddie Vedder's drivel on an otherwise outstanding soundtrack for "Into the Wild").
It's not his opinions that bother me (to each his own), it's the overtness of them that I don't like. I think McMurtry is at his best when his songs are more metaphoric, when he creates characters and stories that carry deeper meanings below the surface. For example, "Hurricane Party" (great song!) and "Just us Kids" do this very well, while his political songs ("Cheney's Toy" and "Ruins of the Realm") abandon subtlety in order to score way-too-obvious political points.
If he wants to make his anti-Bush and anti-corporation points, I'd like to see them couched in more timeless or symbolic terms - like Bob Dylan's "The Times, They are a Changin';" i.e. make the song be anti-Bush without ever mentioning his name. That way, it's not just anti-Bush but anti-anyone-who's-like-Bush. Plus, his message isn't just relevant for 2008 listeners but for 2028 listeners as well.
That being said, this is a great album and I've really enjoyed listening to it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great album. Not one bad song and most are immediate...
This is full of songs that you immediately add to your most remembered list. Works great too in a playlist with Hayes Carll, Paul Thorn, Gurf Morlix, and Elizabeth Cook.
Published 21 days ago by J. M. Slocum
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great album
Another fine example of McMurtrys excellent songwriting and musical abilities,always great stuff from him and his band. I can never get enough of his music
Published 8 months ago by Todd Griffis
3.0 out of 5 stars
lip
Lyrics very good if you are a democrat, not so much if republican. Either way need to listen to words to get most out of CD. Musically I thought it was so-so.
Published 20 months ago by bill
1.0 out of 5 stars
A REAL BOOMER
After "Just Us Kids" a really great tune. The rest of the selections are mired in political muck. Too bad! He might have talent.....
Published 23 months ago by A REAL BOOMER
5.0 out of 5 stars
Musical Perfection
Without question,, this is the best album that he has made, that was not a greatest hits collection. Read more
Published on December 2, 2010 by musicman3414
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best records of the Aughts!
This is an absolutely great record from James McMurtry, one of the best of the Aughts! I would say it might be James's best since his first two, Too Long in the Wasteland and... Read more
Published on October 24, 2010 by Autonomeus
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Songs From An American Treasure
I've like James McMurtry for a long time , but my exposure to his songwriting was limited to say the least . This is a truely great album a truely gifted poet .. Read more
Published on March 16, 2010 by Thomas Whaley
5.0 out of 5 stars
James McMurtry/ Just Us Kids
I've been listening to James McMurtry for decades and he has never disappointed, and "Just Us Kids" may be his best ever. Read more
Published on October 11, 2009 by A. D. Lowe
4.0 out of 5 stars
McMurtry rocks again...
I was a little hesitant about this cd. I thought so much of the first one I knew it would be a hard act to follow. But follow he did. Read more
Published on September 1, 2009 by C. Nealson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this CD
We are fans of James McMurtry and feel this is one of his best. Topical lyrics, great backing band, biting commentary, and all-out rockin!
Would highly recommend.
Would highly recommend.
Published on January 6, 2009 by K. O. Brien
