His mind may be fried, but
Roky's vocal talents are relatively intact on this mid-1990s effort, which turns out be one of his more subdued, folkier outings. (About half of the tracks, however, are actually remixes of sessions from the mid-'80s.)
Roky's most excessive traits are mostly absent; he sounds sort of like an eccentric, updated
Buddy Holly. It's the kind of roots rock that may well please the more open-minded fans of, for instance,
John Fogerty or
Van Morrison, although the compositions are more pleasant than inspired.
Charlie Sexton and
Butthole Surfer Paul Leary make low-key session appearances; Texas singer
Lou Ann Barton duets with
Roky on "Starry Eyes" (reprised at the end with a version on which
Roky handles all the vocals). A significant bonus, not listed on the sleeve, is "We Got Soul," the rare and fine mid-'60s single cut by
Roky's first group,
the Spades, before
Erickson joined
the 13th Floor Elevators. ~ Richie Unterberger