More than 20 years ago, John Doe helped shape a sound and define a movement that set the music world on its ear. Anyone expecting the barely-contained intensity and thrust of early X on Freedom Is ..., however, will be sorely disappointed. John Doe's solo efforts have drawn increasingly on the country and rockabilly leanings of his former band while also adopting a more subtle, even pop flavor.

When, on "Ever After," former bandmate (and ex-wife) Exene Cervenka makes a guest appearance, the music sounds -- surprise! -- like X. But the moment is fleeting, and just as Paul Westerburg's solo releases often find him trying escape the legacy of the Replacements, Freedom Is ... asks to be taken on its own, considerable merits. A few tracks such as "Smile & Wave" and "Too Many Goddamn Bands" pack a bit more of a punk-rockin' punch, but overall this disc is about as threatening as the Wallflowers. Don't get me wrong, Jacob Dylan wishes he could write lyrics as sophisticated as Doe (or, I suppose, the elder Dylan) and Freedom Is ... has the stink of credibility that most AOR bands can only dream of. Still, this is mature music geared towards listeners of a more advanced age -- John Doe's age.

No matter how jangly and primed-for-VH1-airplay Doe's music gets, no matter how many movies he appears in opposite Patrick Swayze, he somehow manages to transcend any apparent absurdity. By staying true to his own creative edicts, he's showing a whole generation of angry young men how to grow old gracefully.