A Year in the Wilderness

John Doe | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B000NJWSHQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,378 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It comes as little surprise that John Doe employs three different female vocalists (Kathleen Edwards, Jill Sobule, and Aimee Mann) to assist on A Year in the Wilderness. After all, it was Exene Cervenka's restless harmonies that bolstered Doe's own dusky lead vocals, providing X with a distinctive sound that has seldom been imitated and never bested, even by the group's own alumni. Doe nonetheless continues to refine the formula, delivering sharp, literate lyrics to rugged, often pensive odes. He mines a kinder, gentler, but no less incisive territory of the somewhat precarious space between the sexes. Doe even strums an acoustic guitar in full folk-ballad mode on "A Little More Time," a somber reflection on love lost. Former X guitarist Dave Alvin provides rootsy firepower on the driving "Hotel Ghost," as close as this disc comes to the old L.A. punk days. But Doe's raw approach chafes at the introspective nature of these songs, adding somber, gritty gravity to the uncompromising lyrics of "Unforgiven," "you say I'm good for nothing, so nothing's good enough for me." While the set lacks the blazing nervousness of X's best material, the older/wiser Doe preserves an uneasy sense of youthful alienation that sports a musically grizzled, five-o'clock shadow. These songs resonate with a mature, biting broodiness that updates, but never dilutes, his legendary early work. --Hal Horowitz

Product Description

John Doe is back again. As a founding member of punk monoliths X, he seized his rightful place as one of the most influential musicians in American alternative music in the 1980's, clearing a path for the revolution in that genre that would take place a decade later. Since launching his solo career in 1990 with the dusty road-poetry of Meet John Doe, John has produced six stunning roots rock albums of frightening honesty and vision. A Year in the Wilderness is no exception. This time around John has invited his friends and frequent conspirators to help him interpret songs that came fast and hard. Doe dubs the Wilderness sessions, "A scary and wondrous process where a blast of intuition and force that takes only moments to realize, but that can last forever and carry consequences you never imagined." Guest stars appearing on A Year in the Wilderness include Dave Alvin, Jill Sobule, Kathleen Edwards, Dan Auerbach (from The Black Keys), Greg Leisz and Aimee Mann.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Fabulous, July 7, 2007

By 

ZoSo59 (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Year in the Wilderness (Audio CD)

Although a long-time fan of X, I'd never bought any of John Doe's solo work before. I read a good review of this album in the LA Times, and thought I'd take a shot.....

I love it. The most commercial cut is "The Golden State", a great tune. I think my favorite song is "Unforgiven", and "Big Moon" seems to haunt my head. The whole album has this vibe that I can't describe, other than to say I find myself wanting to play it almost every day. It has a "deep sound", both musically and lyrically. The songs flow so well that listening is effortless, and leaves you wanting more when the album is finished.

I believe than John Doe is a great creative talent who seems to get better with age. You won't regret buying this release; on the strength of this one, I'm going to buy some of his previous releases!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant...(don't tell anyone), June 16, 2007

By 

George Tadich Jr. - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Year in the Wilderness (Audio CD)

I've loved having John's solo work all to myself...pop music's best kept secret...music to share with your most musically sophisticated friends...music for long road trips. I suppose that's all over now.

And it's about time.

Because this MF is too big, too smart, too rocking, too cutting, to be denied a wide audience. I would love to see this thing come out of left field and sell 6 million copies, and have John win 5 or 6 Grammy's next February. Not that awards mean anything, but every once in awhile it's nice to see an exceptional artist, at his best, get recognized.

Besides, John has the best hair in rock and roll. "John, see you in Denver (6/22). Yrs. George Tadich Jr."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doe's best in years!, October 13, 2007

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Year in the Wilderness (Audio CD)

A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS marks the proverbial "return to form" for John Doe. After a string of great solo albums in the 1990s in between X reunions, culminating in the awesome FREEDOM IS... in 2000 (see my review), his last couple of albums have been sub-par. Last year he reissued a lost classic from 1998 -- originally recorded in 1995/6 and released as an EP called FOR THE REST OF US, now with additional tracks from the sessions, and renamed FOR THE BEST OF US (see my review), it sounded powerful and loose, like KISSINGSOHARD from 1995.

That's what Doe has recaptured with WILDERNESS -- it was written and recorded quickly, and has that EXILE ON MAIN STREET sort of spontaneity. Not quite as raw and punkish as the mid-'90s Doe, the standout rock tracks are "The Golden State," "Unforgiven," and "The Meanest Man in the World," but the pedal steel on the countryish "A Little More Time" and the beautiful slower numbers like "the bridge" and "grain of salt" add to the overall feel, making the whole album greater than the sum of the songs.

Great album! Don't miss it.