On his first official solo album, drug counselor extraordinaire (and formerly of Thelonious Monster) Bob Forrest revisits several songs from the Thelonious and Bicycle Thief catalogues and transforms them into sprawling, acoustic tracks.
Several of Thelonious’ most well loved songs like “Sammy Hagar Weekend” and “Body & Soul?” get the acoustic, folksy treatment here. Joined by longtime Thelonious bandmate and erstwhile Circle Jerk Zander Schloss on guitar, Forrest takes these songs and gets down to the heart of them. Though his voice has aged, it still shines forth on tracks like “See That My Grave is Kept Clean” where he really does sound like an old school blues shouter.
“Song Of The Songs” is the main standout here, just an outstanding track with some great harmony vocals that really bring the lyrics to life. “Body & Soul?” turns itself into an amazing standout with some great female backing vocals making the song seem more serene than it originally was.
The rave-up “Not Going to Do It Again” speaks of the messes Forrest had found himself in time and time again before finally getting sober. It’s a true testament to the power of the human spirit. The poignant “Elvis, We Are Waiting for You!,” a tribute to his son, is one of those songs that tugs at your heartstrings and proves that Forrest still knows his way around a song years after Thelonious’ debut. All in all, this is one of the best folk records of the year, full of great songs and emotional singing. What a great way for Forrest to come full circle, a lot wiser and stronger.