''Poor Little Critter on the Road'' is the debut album from X side project

The Knitters ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

, ''Poor Little Critter on the Road'' contains original compositions and covers of songs by X as well as established

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

performers.

Reception

Bart Bull of ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

'' wrote, "

Exene Exene Cervenka (born Christene Lee Cervenka; February 1, 1956) is an American singer, artist, and poet. She is best known for her work as a singer in the California punk rock band X. Music career The 21-year-old Cervenka met 23-year-old ...

and Doe mostly succeed, and Doe mostly triumphs. He's listened long and hard to the masters. Alvin, rattling loose every

Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sister Rosetta Tharpe (born Rosetta Nubin, March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her Gospel music, gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spir ...

lick known to man, woman, or God, is this record's secret hero."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Exene Cervenka and John Doe; except where indicated #"Poor Little Critter on the Road" – 1:43 #"Someone Like You" – 2:40 #"Walkin' Cane" (Traditional; arranged by The Knitters) – 5:34 #"Silver Wings" ( Merle Haggard) – 2:12 #"Poor Old Heartsick Me" ( Helen Carter) – 2:41 #"The New World" – 2:53 #"Cryin' But My Tears Are Far Away" – 3:35 #"Love Shack" – 3:55 #"The Call of the Wreckin' Ball" (John Doe, Dave Alvin) – 2:56 #"Trail of Time" (Alton Delmore) – 3:10 #"Baby Out of Jail" (Harty Taylor, Karl Davis) – 2:39 #"Rock Island Line" (

Hudie Ledbetter Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, Virtuoso, virtuosity on the twelve-string guita ...

) – 4:16

Personnel

;The Knitters *

John Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are often ...

– vocals,

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

Dave Alvin David Albert Alvin (born November 11, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is a former and founding member of the roots rock band the Blasters. Alvin has recorded and performed as a solo artist since the late 1980s a ...

– acoustic guitar,

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

* Exene Cervenka – vocals *

D.J. Bonebrake Donald J. Bonebrake (born December 8, 1955) is an American musician who first emerged as the drummer of the punk rock band the Eyes (also featuring Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go's). He is best known as an original member of and drummer for punk ...

–

snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...

*Jonny Ray Bartel –

upright bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

*Martin Lund –

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...

* Billy Zoom – Macaroni box on "Walkin' Cane"

External links

* Allmusic * *

References

{{Authority control 1985 debut albums The Knitters albums Slash Records albums