If Dylan married the sensibilities of Elvis and Rimbaud, X pulled off a similar trick with Hank Williams and William Burroughs–all, of course, within the confines of the genre of LA gutter punk in the late 1970s. Lovers John Doe and Exene were riotous romantics adrift in a milieu that didn’t allow for much hope; but they persevered and found at least a measure of redemption in their last, melancholy albums (particularly See How We Are). Doe’s solo debut, Meet John Doe, continues the process, melting away the trappings of punk for a new and mature, full-throated exposition of American rock ‘n’ roll. He finds some surprisingly good covers (by Hank Cochran, John Hiatt, even Bruce Hornsby), lets us know his sympathies still lie with C and W, and proffers two more cuts for the pantheon. The first, a sort of sequel to “See How We Are,” argues, as I read it, against the efficacy of art on the grounds that people should be figuring this stuff out for themselves. The second (“Take #52”) is a love song disguised as a here-I-am-in-the-studio song disguised as a life song. Guess which one he wrote with Exene. Hint: It’s not about art. MVP: Richard Lloyd, who’s in Doe’s touring band. Thursday, Lounge Ax, 2438 N. Lincoln; 525-6620.
