Kicks Joy Darkness is a tribute to the most well-known "beat" writer: Jack … Read Full Bio ↴Kicks Joy Darkness is a tribute to the most well-known "beat" writer: Jack Kerouac. The album, a collection of the author's poems and other writings set to music, features performances by some of today's most recognized musicians, as well as a few of Kerouac's contemporaries.

The idea behind this seems flawed, though. It's upsetting the tribute concentrates mostly on Kerouac's poems. Sure, his poetry is strong, but his most impressive works are his novels, passages of which could have been read to music just as easily.

The contributors seem to have been picked with an eye on attracting younger consumers. This works both ways. Michael Stipe, always willing to put his voice on something, is so uninteresting he is laughable, but the following track by Steven Tyler outshines the bald singer's dry delivery.

Juliana Hatfield reads "Silly Goofball Poems" from "Poems Of All Sizes," in which most of the album's selected works originally appeared. Also from the book -- Kerouac's only book of poetry -- is "Hymn," performed by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. The singer's brooding voice is backed by accompanyingly morose music from Seattle instrumental space-rockers Hovercraft.

Kerouac's contemporaries stand in stark contrast to the younger contributors. William S. Burroughs' rough, gravelly voice is instantly memorable and the spook is fitting, as is the now-late Allen Ginsberg's reading of an unpublished work of Kerouac's.

Even with all the talent rounded up here, it is the author himself who delivers the best performance: a startling recording of "MacDougal Street Blues." Kerouac's voice rings with perfect inflection while Joe Strummer backs the poem with an electronic blues beat and keyboards. The resulting beauty is the kind that could only be found in Kerouac himself.

DAVID THOMAS | Staff Writer http://www.nudeasthenews.com/reviews/36

Tracks
1. Kerouac (Album Version)
Allen Ginsberg 3:47
2. Bowery Blues (Album Version)
Anna Domino 1:55
3. My Gang (Album Version)
Come 2:23
4. Dream: Us Kids Swim Off A Gray Pier... (Album Version)
Dana Colley 1:34
5. Letter To William S. Burroughs And Ode To Jack (Album Version)
Eddie Vedder 1:41
6. Skid Row Wine (Album Version)
Eric Andersen 5:51
7. America's New Trinity Of Love: Dean Brando Presley (Album Version)
Hunter S. Thompson 6:06
8. Dream: On A Sunny Afternoon... (Album Version)
Jack Kerouac 2:04
9. Macdougal Street Blues (Album Version)
Jeff Buckley 2:48
10. Brooklyn Bridge Blues (Album Version)
Jim Carroll 5:47
11. Hymn (Album Version)
Joey Altruda 3:12
12. Old Western Movies (Album Version)
John Cale 2:32
13. Silly Goofball Poems (Album Version)
Juliana Hatfield 4:02
14. Moon (Album Version)
Lawrence Ferlinghetti 3:01
15. Madroad Driving (Album Version)
Lenny Kaye 3:28
16. Have You Ever Seen Anyone Like Cody Pomeray? (Album Version)
Lydia Lunch 3:48
17. Letter To John Clellon Holmes (Album Version)
Maggie Estep 2:36
18. Pome On Doctor Sax (Album Version)
Michael Stipe 1:45
19. Mexico Rooftop (Album Version)
Michael Wolff 1:25
20. Last Hotel (Album Version)
Morphine 3:47
21. Running Through Chinese Poem Song (Album Version)
Richard Lewis 3:34
22. Woman (Album Version)
Robert Buck 2:25
23. Mexican Lonliness (Album Version)
Robert Hunter 3:19
24. Angel Mine (Album Version)
Steven Tyler 5:24
25. Brooklyn Bridge Blues (Album Version)
Jim Carroll 2:00

Kicks Joy Darkness: A Tribute To Jack Kerouac Lyrics