Unclogged

At one point in the mid-‘90s, X decided to reform with guitarist Tony Gilkyson and play their tunes in the “Unplugged” format with acoustic guitars. This immediately brought out the “roots rock” side they’d once explored with their side-project the Knitters, where country standards by Merle Haggard stood alongside their own roots-influenced tunes. This live collection throws an interesting cross-section of the band’s material over to the acoustic guitar. While the primal power of “Burning House of Love” is sacrificed for a rockabilly-skiffle shuffle, cuts such as “White Girl” and “I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts” maintain their momentum as John Doe and Exene Cervenka harmonize with sweeter empathy. “Lying In the Road” sounds like a full-band electric shakedown. “Because I Do” and “Unheard Music” sound even spookier and tunes such as “See How We Are” and “Have-Nots” are actually in their more natural setting, as both tunes could always be envisioned as the type of tunes meant to be strummed on the acoustic guitar out on the back porch.