Knitters - Modern Sounds of the Knitters (15 tracks) +Album Reviews

Great CD - Songs Will Be Great in Live Setting

John Standiford | Cypress, California | 07/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Twenty years might seem a long time to wait between albums but that's the story of the Knitters, a fun, side project that features members of X and Dave Alvin. Twenty years ago, the Knitters formed, played a few gigs and released an album called Poor Little Critter on the Road. The reaction of some was that it was a novelty act, but in truth the Knitters were especially important in Los Angeles' music scene that was dominated by hardcore punk. The Knitters proved that country could be cutting edge and had more to say than many punk anthems.

You can do that when you have talented people like Dave Alvin, John Doe, Exene, Jonny Ray Bartel and DJ Bonebrake. You can they had so much fun with their first CD 20 years ago and it especially showed when they played live.

It's 20 years later and we have a new CD, and it's much better than the first one. This might be a fun side project but this is not a novelty CD. There are a number of amazing songs on this album including Give Me Flowers While I'm Living, Dry River, and Long Chain. The entire album is great and is a great showcase for these great musicians. I wholeheartedly recommend this CD and urge you to see this band live for the limited tour that they will embark upon. This is truly for a limited time only. Take advantage of it while you can.

"

"Give me some flowers while I'm Living ~ The Knitters"

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 07/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Who are The Knitters?... Well, you could say they are are talented group of artists who serves up delights that you'll have ringing in your heard for the next few days and weeks...Zoe and Rounder Records brings this latest release "THE MODERN SOUNDS OF THE KNITTERS", featuring Dave Alvin (electric/acoustic/steel body/baritone guitars), Jonny Ray Bartel (string bass), D.J. Bonebrake (snare drum/wash tub/percussion), Exene Cervenka (vocal) and John Doe (vocal/acoustic/slide guitars)...strong distinctive style that takes you back to the early days of Country and Folk Music...Americana roots and Zoe/Rounder have done more for the genre today than any other label that comes to mind...remember the likes when country and folk music was pure and not mixed with pop...The Knitters bring this album full circle, just the way we like 'em!

The album songs in alphabetical order and composers listed:

BORN TO BE WILD (Mars Bonifire)

BURNING HOUSE OF LOVE (Exene Cervenka/John Doe)

DRY RIVER (Dave Alvin)

EASY GOIN' SUNDAY (The Knitters)

GIVE ME FLOWERS WHILE I'M LIVING (Public Domain - arranged by Exene Cervenka)

I'LL GO DOWN SWINGING (Whispering Bill Anderson)

IN THIS HOUSE THAT I CALL HOME (Exene Cervenka/John Doe)

LITTLE MARGARET (traditional - arranged by John Doe)

LONG CHAIN ON (Jimmy Driftwood)

NEW CALL OF THE WRECKIN' BALL,THE (John Doe/Dave Alvin)

RANK STRANGER (Albert C. Brumley)

SKIN DEEP TOWN (Exene Cervenka/John Doe)

TRY ANYMORE (WHY DON'T WE EVEN) (John Doe)

There is a lonesome tone, a mood set between genres of rockbilly and blends of folk mixed with country-punk...a flavor not so unbecoming from former X members like Doe, Cervenka and Bonebrake feature storytelling as much of the truth rings from each lyrics...closing with Steppenwolf's "BORN TO BE WILD", a classic from this multi-talented group of entertainers...gotta love it!

Total Time: 39:00 on 13 Tracks ~ Zoe Records 1057 ~ (7/12/2005)"

Exene and John Doe Sound Wonderful As Ever

Christopher C. Wilson | Virginia, USA | 08/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After a long stretch (over ten years) during which I only listened to Classical, this new release from "The Knitters" has renewed my love for the risk-taking, intelligent music of John Doe, Exene Cervenka, and D.J. Bonebrake (all three of "X", my all-time favorite band), who collaborate beautifully here with the guitar virtuoso Dave Alvin and bassist Johny Ray Bartel. Since X's punk music always was rooted in country (and often shared with it the themes of unrequited love, drunken loneliness, and desperation), the country idiom comes naturally to these musicians. Though often tinged with caustic humor, the songs are not a parody of country, but rather a respectful and imaginative reworking of the approaches of folks like Loretta Lynn or Johnny Cash and June Carter. How I love John and Exene's intriguing, immediately recognizable harmonies -- and though it's been 20 years since "The Knitters" last release, they sound fresh as ever.

May this recording bring new attention to these exceptionally talented invidiuals who, in careers spanning over two decades, have made enormous contributions to American music. I saw "The Knitters" live last night in Alexandria, VA, and was blown away by their energy, their distinctive sound and unpretentiously high level of artisty, and their good-natured humor and generosity with the audience. All those qualities come through on this disc. Get it -- you won't be disappointed.

Christopher Wilson, Virginia"

Finally!!!!!

Jeff Potts | Toronto, Ontario Canada | 08/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I was in university when I got my pawas on the first album. Between the original album by the Knitters and the original Jason and the Nashville Scorchers album, your picture of alt country in the 1980's is complete.

THe problem for alt country started right after that Dwight got commercial, and everyone else that followed couldn't write a song that was more than a durge/98 beats per minute. You could feel the pain but never the joy. Ol'97s came close but not close enough. The dynamic nature of the 1980's led us into stuff like WHiskeytown, anything by Jeff Tweety, Niko Case etc. All of the new alt country bands seemed to think that coutry music was all waltzes originally.

Now the foreshadowing of this album came a long in the for of bands like Big Sandy, Sonney Leyland and like it or not Hank III.

Today, what we call ageing rockers, bring together the stuff that made them famous . . .no holds barred effort, output, and energy. THis is what true professionals can do. Dave alvin sounds like to Dave of my youth so to speak. Playin' hard! Harmonies with the ex Mr & Mrs Doe are great as they fly up and down the backbone of each song, just like they did in the 80's. I don't like to go on too much about the past, but a bancd that waits 20years to give us a second album, gives us no choice.

I'm going to see them tonight in Toronto at Lee's Palace. This will be like every other Dave Alvin/Blasters/X show I've ever seen. . . . high impact."

No knitting being done here...

Tankery | New Orleans | 12/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Take the remnants of X, one of the seminal bands of the 80's, and Dave Alvin, once of the Blasters, throw in a healthy understanding of roots music, and you come up with a beautiful concoction of punk, rock, roots, blue-grass, music that will blow your socks off.

With excellent vocals from Exene and John Doe of X, the songs on this CD are, each and everyone of them, a classic. Remakes of a couple classic X songs and the coolest rendition of "Born to Be Wild", and some original tunes, make for a strong Cd top to bottom. Not a weak track to be found, just toe-tapping, enjoyable music throughout.

If you see them in concert you will be much rewarded. They put on a more punk-inspired set that blows away most acts nowadays.

This album will make you head back into the past and look for those classic X albums. A good place to start is with their recent Los Angeles live album."

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