Country Club
by John Doe & The Sadies
  • Record Label: Yep Roc
  • Release Date: Apr 14, 2009
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Uncut
    Apr 6, 2012
    80
    The Sadies are one of the finest backing bands around, and team up adroitly with John Doe to produce a cracking set of country classics. [May 2012, p.71]
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  2. AllMusic
    80
    Plenty of rock singers have tried to honor the sound and traditions of period honky tonk music over the years, but you'd be hard-pressed to find one who sounds as ineffably right singing this stuff as John Doe, and Country Club is a casual, no-frills masterpiece.
  3. Mojo
    80
    The Canadian quartet have long proved their sidemen chops, and sound as good on honky tonk, back-porchers or country ballads. [May 2009, p.101]
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  5. Paste Magazine
    75
    He's certainly comfortable with the material, and his worn-leather voice conveys an unexpected tenderness that adds spirited desperation to opener 'Stop the World and Let Me Off,' gritty regret to ''Til I Get It Right,' and aching vulnerability to 'Help Me Make It Through the Night.'...The Sadies know just when to step forward or back, creating a general bootgazer ambience.
  6. PopMatters
    70
    The result of all this is a tribute to country songs these artists love. But on close listen, these versions are less twangy, in voice and accompaniment than the originals.
  7. NOW Magazine
    60
    The Sadies have proved themselves master instrumentalists at country and twang, and a fluid backup band able to execute any genre. Doe, who co-fronted seminal L.A. punks X, on the other hand, has a voice you could charitably call serviceable. Whether this collaboration needed to happen is debatable.
  8. The A.V. Club
    58
    For the collaborative LP Country Club, Doe and the Goods take a fairly reverent approach, mixing just a few pastichey originals into a set of well-worn C&W covers.
  9. Under The Radar
    50
    Country Club is a bit too bland of a listen as a whole, with only a few rollicking instrumental Sadies originals to breakup the mostly low-key covers. [Spring 2009, p.78]
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. VaughnA
    May 27, 2009
    5
    I was really looking forward to this album, hoping for another Knitters-style record, however, it rarely catches fire. Too faithful versions I was really looking forward to this album, hoping for another Knitters-style record, however, it rarely catches fire. Too faithful versions with not enough moxie from Doe or The Sadies. Go back to the original songs and skip this.… Full Review »
  2. SteveS
    May 9, 2009
    8
    John Doe's voice is so suited to these country standard that you gotta wonder why it took him so long to do it. And the Sadies make a John Doe's voice is so suited to these country standard that you gotta wonder why it took him so long to do it. And the Sadies make a terrific honky tonk back-up band.… Full Review »
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