As a founding member of the legendary Los Angeles band X, John Doe was one of the first punk rockers to fully embrace the rebellious spirit of country and folk music. A quarter-century on, Doe's music is a little more controlled than the punk bursts of yore, but as this track from his upcoming CD, "A Year in the Wilderness," shows, he's still mighty rambunctious. Spurred on by some seriously Stones-y guitars, "The Golden State" finds Doe rocking out with all the conviction and authority of the rebel music pioneers he cares so deeply for, thanks in no small part to Kathleen Edwards, whose spirited vocals make this track sound like a skid row reworking of a classic June and Johnny Cash number.
-- David Marchese
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