Country Joe & the Fish

Darker than the usual fare from director Dave Meehan and Secret Films -- in mood as well as lighting -- this concert by the Original Country Joe Band has Joe MacDonald sounding like Neil Young's older brother more than Country Joe's famous old self from the Woodstock festival and film. He rattles off the "Gimme an F" twice during the show, and the second time it's for the essential "I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die" rag, but he does so with a dry, almost comedic delivery. The revealing 37-minute interview with Jet Martin included as a bonus track gives more than just some insight into the energies at play here, and the new name -- "Original Country Joe Band" -- pertains to it being four of the five members as part of this reunion without guitarist Barry Melton, now a lawyer. Short on the usual DVD frills, though there's delightfully colorful and splashy packaging by Phil Rogers, the 18 songs are a treasure as the older, wiser band performs with inspiration and heart. On "Superbird" Country Joe talks about Kryptonite for George W. Bush while "Untitled Protest" could be Jim Morrison as Shaman-gone-folk with a dirge that plays like a laid-back "When the Music's Over." They get even more Doors-y psychedelic on "Section 43," a trippy instrumental that lasts seven-and-a-half minutes. It's a very classic set taped June 13, 2004 at the South Parade Pier in Southsea, England during the leg of the tour that brought the group to the Isle of Wight festival. With Gary "Chicken" Hirsh on drums, Bruce Barthol on bass and David Bennett Cohen playing guitar, organ and keys you have 4/5 of the original Country Joe & the Fish blending their skills in a way that makes repeated viewings and /or listenings a pleasant experience. The interesting thing is that the politically charged music comes off less subversive and more like skiffle with these kindly old gentlemen performing. It's as inoffensive as the light music of the Quarrymen with Grandpa Joe singing "Save the Whales" matter-of-factly. Though artistically important and very entertaining, there's nothing here to get the J. Edgar Hoover types spinning. Old classics mixed in with something new and creepy titled "Cakewalk to Baghdad" show that the band still wants to be as political as ever. You just know that with all the wiretapping going on today Karl Rove and Dick Cheney probably won't spin this once or even listen to the groups' transatlantic calls, and perhaps that's a positive thing. These rock & roll veterans deserve a break and it's a good time that they convey quietly and with lots of verve. Jet Martin also provides a well written biography which is included in the bonus features. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide