The Knitters, The Modern Sounds of the Knitters (4 x 4 review)

Artist: The Knitters
Title: The Modern Sounds of the Knitters
Label: Zoe (2005)
Genre: Country
Rotation: HEAVY

The Knitters, featuring John Doe, Exene Cervenka, and DJ Bonebrake from the punk band X, have not released an album in TWENTY YEARS. That’s right--in the middle of the 1980s, a punk band from L.A. put out a fun but entirely serious album in one of the least popular musical genres of the day, thus making them exactly the right band for all you folks who agree with the premise that, in ideology, alienation, and concern with social justice, Johnny Cash was as much a punk rocker as he was a country superstar.

What I love about the Knitters is that they love and respect country music enough to have the confidence to build their covers (and their covers of their own rock material) into pieces that do something familiar, but also new. These folks are not afraid of the electric guitar, bless ’em.

“Born to Be Wild” (13) is indeed a cover of the Steppenwolf song. “Rank Stranger” (7) is by The Stanley Brothers. “Burning House of Love” (11) and “In This House That I Call Home” (4) are revisions of X songs. All the tracks are great, so play with confidence--just be aware that “Easy Goin’ Sunday” (1) is just a very brief intro, not a full song.

Indecent: 4, 8
Recommended Tracks: [8-IND], 5, 9, 10, 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13