Somewhere Gone

More subdued than X, less twang than the Knitters, this album might be what you listen to once glad bags have been replaced by retro shifts as the little black dress of choice—more spirit than spit. Exene Cervenka’s Somewhere Gone demonstrates verse and verve in a dozen new recordings.

Cervenka was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the summer of 2009, but that hasn't slowed her down. In addition to this new release, she continues to tour with X, and encourages support of Sweet Relief, an organization founded by musician Victoria Williams upon her own MS diagnosis in 1992 to assist career musicians in crisis.

Exene Cervenka and John Doe met, legend has it, at a poetry reading. On Somewhere Gone they are joined by Lou Whitney of The Skeletons, who provides bass-stylings and engineering services, and Amy Farris and Cindy Wasserman as the back-up singers. The instrumentation is sturdy, basic, and subdued, and features acoustic guitar, quiet percussion, and strings. “Surface of the Sun” features piano and organ by Dexter Romweber. “The Willow Tree” is a traditional ballad, tear-jerking your heartstrings (if you like it, you'll like “Little Shoes“ by Freakwater). And who among us has not made an “Honest Mistake?" Adding Somewhere Gone to your music collection is far from an error, indeed.

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