Poor Little Critter on the Road

1. Poor Little Critter On The Road

2. Someone Like You

3. Walkin' Cane

4. Silver Wings

5. Poor Old Heartsick Me

6. New World

7. Cryin' But My Tears Are Far Away

8. Love Shack

9. Call Of The Wreckin' Ball

10. Trail Of Time

11. Baby Out Of Jail

12. Rock Island Line

Poor Little Critter on the Road,Knitters,Rhino / Wea,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

Poor Little Critter on the Road

Average customer rating:

Now THAT'S what I call Country!!!
At last! An X album I DON'T like!
knitters equal awesome
bunch of countrified punksters
Just one of those albums...

Poor Little Critter on the Road
The Knitters
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Modern Sounds of the Knitters
Forever Hasn't Happened Yet
Under the Big Black Sun
More Fun in the New World
Wild Gift

ASIN: B00004YLAS
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

Poor Little Critter on the Road
Someone Like You
Walkin' Cane
Silver Wings
Poor Old Heartsick Me
New World
Cryin' But My Tears Are Far Away
Love Shack
Call of the Wreckin' Ball
Trail of Time
Baby Out of Jail
Rock Island Line

Customer Reviews:

Now THAT'S what I call Country!!!.......2006-07-27

Very few people believe that I am a fan of country music because I'm rarely ever found listening to it. That's mainly because I find so much country music nowadays unimaginative, redundant and just plain boring. One paradigm I have long held onto is that great country music (just like great blues music) sounds like something you could imagine playing yourself on a back porch.

There are probably music purists who could pigeonhole my tastes into one aspect of country music (bluegrass or hillbilly, say), but I contend that my tastes are simply for Country Music.

With all of that said, it seems a shame to say that one of my all-time favorite country albums comes from a conglomeration of members from bands often categorized and punk and rockabilly. X and The Blasters are also bands I am quite fond of, so when I found out that members of both joined together to do some old country-blues tunes and even revise a little X, I was all over that record like white on rice.

This is fun music. Too much country nowadays just isn't fun, or if it pretends to be fun, it does so with a sour pretention of acting like everyone should act this way, but The Knitters nailed an album here that has such a come-along, sing-along feel, that I feel shame that the CMAs haven't nailed a copy of this album to the procemium of every awards show as a reminder of where the REAL heart of country music lay.

This is a great collection of songs. Songs about heartache or jail sung in a way that sounds genuine, not pretend. Like true country music, or the blues, songs of despair sit next to songs of love and joy. These are the emotions of life, told through charming and direct performances. Some of my favorites here are the title track (roadkill as a metaphor for life), Walkin' Cane, and if you aren't slapping your knee during Call of the Wreckin' Ball, you just don't have a pulse.

An added note: whenever I play The Kniters' version of "Rock Island Line," my 8 year-old can't help but just dance around the kitchen table. That's my hillbilly boy!

At last! An X album I DON'T like!.......2006-02-07

Here I thought they were infallible and they go do this one-off "ner ner" music that inspires intimate thoughts regarding blood relations and livestock. I played it backwards and not only did I sober up, but my wife came back to me, my dog came back to life, my truck got fixed, the bank took the lien off my house and I bowled a perfect game!

Signed,
epsteinsmutha

knitters equal awesome.......2005-10-27

this band is great both live and on cd. the songs get in your head and haunt you. they are all hillbilly bluegrass inspired and they mean all the more if you are a john doe and exene fan or a dave alvin fan or a fan of the 80's hollywood punk scene. Hear john and exene mention l.a. band cohorts the rhythm pigs. hear the tearful songs of broken hearts made all the more poignant by the fact that they were breaking up their long time marriage. its an incredible timeless cd. buy it.

bunch of countrified punksters.......2005-10-17

I rememebr i had a tape of this album way back in the mid eighties so when i saw it on cd i decided to give it another try, a i was not disapponted at all. It's nice hearing a bunch of punks goin country cause what you get it's not nashville stuff but a sort of strange mix of what was later to be know as americana. Great stuff and funny too, really worth listening

Just one of those albums..........2005-08-13

You think it's one of those records that you buy to round out your collection of X and Blasters and lo and behold it is one you can't remove from rotation. Poor Little Critter of the Road, Wrecking Ball, Silver Wings are songs that immediatly come to mind when I'm driving on the highway, at a county fair, and am waiting in an airport. I've owned the vinyl since it first came out, and it's still in the stack I play every third Sunday (don't ask).

Just saw the Knitters on Jay Leno last night and they blew my mind, again, John Doe and Exene's killer vocals on top of Dave Alvin's guitar is a classic American roots sound. (I've given up Rock/Abilly/Bluegrass/Country/Blues/Ragtime/Folk distinctions because so many artists have blurred the boundaries. I think "American roots" is the best description of this genre.)

There's a softness to the sound that implies the praries, a twang that implies the south and a desert sensibility that makes you want to install it as the theme tracks to your Airstream as you drive out of Las Vegas into the desert, leaving behind the bright lights, your love, and any hope of water.

Average customer rating:

A light in the darkness
As good as country gets
A delightful surprise!
Fun country-punk
Excellent driving music

Poor Little Critter on the Road
The Knitters
Manufacturer: Polygram
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000057BY
Release Date: 1996-07-30

Tracks:

Poor Little Critter On The Road
Someone Like You
Walkin' Cane
Silver Wings
Poor Old Heartsick Me
The New World
Cryin' But My Tears Are Far Away
Love Shack
The Call Of The Wreckin' Ball
Trail Of Time
Baby Out Of Jail
Rock Island Line

Amazon.com

Ever since the emergence of alt-country in the 1990s, the idea of punk-weaned rock musicians playing country music is often a pretty ho-hum proposition. Yet, back in the 1980s, it was actually a bold and novel concept that intrigued only a select few (mostly Los Angeles) bands such as the Long Ryders, Green on Red, Jason & the Scorchers, Lone Justice, and of course, X and the Blasters. In 1984 the Blasters' Dave Alvin joined forces with X's John Doe, Exene Cervenka, and D.J. Bonebrake to form the Knitters, a band who shed its rock skin completely and opted for pared-down, low-key arrangements that stayed true to the classic country sound. This one-time-only record, a blend of covers, new songs, and X remakes, has charisma and charm thanks to its relaxed feel, warm setting, and absence of any pretension. That Alvin's guitar work is tasteful may not be a surprise, but Doe and Cervenka also offer lovely vocals throughout. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

A light in the darkness.......1999-12-02

How did I miss this release? I was playing with an acoustic/jug band type group in the mid-80s and we worked up at least 4 of the songs from this album. I pray that there will always be folks out there to remind us that country music doesn't have to sound like pop. This is some truly twisted roots music. Enjoy!

As good as country gets.......1999-11-09

I have been a fan of both X and the Blasters since the early 80's and when they formed this the worded unplugged was not a part of music vocabulary. They not only introduced a bunch of punk kids to country they showed that country could be cool if you are true to the roots.

A delightful surprise!.......1999-09-23

This mid-80's one-off project from John Doe & Exene (from the great band 'X') and Dave Alvin is a delightful surprise. Packed with country and folk gems such as Merle Haggard's "SIlver WIngs." This album showcases JOhn Doe's vastly under-rated vocal skills. Die-hard fans of X might not appreciate this, but anyone with an interest in classic folk and country should give this a listen. Wonderful!

Fun country-punk.......1998-09-07

This one-off effort from members of X and Dave Alvin of the Blasters is a country/bluegrass hoot. John Doe has a voice of gold (who knew he could croon so well?) and really shines on songs like "Crying but my Tears are Far Away." Exene is a bit off-key as usual on solos, but her strength is sounding like a slightly boozy Patsy Cline, and as usual she sounds great harmonizing with John. Dave Alvin does some great pickin' guitar work. The whole thing has an irreverant, casual quality to it, and yet shows the band members' reverance for such classic groups as the Weavers (Weavers...Knitters...get it?) The one weak song on the album is surprisingly the X song "The New World." It has a pretty weak melody that doesn't really stand up to being countrified, and just sounds the best as a revved-up X song. "Call of the Wreckin' Ball" is the most subversive song on the album, about a guy that loves to stomp chickens to death. It's a crack-up, though, in its sick way. I like the slow numbers the best. John Doe is actually a darn good country singer.

Excellent driving music.......1998-06-20

An excellent piece of work done by the alternative music band X. They did remakes of old country blue grass tunes. The music is catchy and the lyrics will crack you up. The CD concludes with an excellent version of the Rock Island Line.