The Ballad of Dood and Juanita is akin to stumbling upon an old Western on a streaming service. The best thematic records - even muddled ones like Quadrophenia or American Idiot- feel timeless in spite of their settings. Melodically, the songs are slight, as if Simpson spent more time on the story and imagery than the melodies “Sam,” the song about Dood’s departed doggie, won’t make you mist up the way the Byrds’ “Bugler” will.Īs much as you have to admire Simpson for making such an oddball and ambitious record, the album rarely transcends its tale. Simpson is clearly invested in each word he wrote, even somewhat clunky lines like, “He was a deadly warring daddy with a gun gleam in his eye/Until he found him a good woman that calmed down the rage.” And the austere and often lovely arrangements bring out the best in Simpson’s voice, which has deepened and toughened up since his first record.Īt a mere ten songs and a half-hour playing time, The Ballad of Dood and Juanita doesn’t pretend to be anything other than another step on Simpson’s creatively restless journey. “Juanita,” steeped in cantina guitars (including guest Willie Nelson’s lead), has the feel of one of Marty Robbins’ vintage cowboy ballads. Using a small acoustic band, Simpson sets the songs to mountain music, hangdog country and spry bluegrass, the latter heavy on fiddle and banjo. As in the movies, things end happily ever after, but not necessarily for everyone.Īs anarchistic and slightly WTF as all that sounds, there’s nothing remotely lighthearted or offhanded about the album.
After reuniting with his wife, Dood goes in search of the villain, culminating in a violent brawl. Along the way his trail hits a dead end, his dog dies, and he’s rescued by a Native American tribe (for that Dances with Wolves touch). Recovering from his wound, Dood gathers up his mule and dog and goes in search of Juanita. All is well, frontier-wise, until a “bandit” sneaks onto the property, shoots Dood and leaves him for dead, and abducts his wife Juanita.
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