Thank goodness the second solo album from Chris Barron doesn't sound like his old band, the Spin Doctors. Sure, Barron is still prone to occasional flights of whimsy on Pancho and the Kid, but the dozen songs here reflect the image of a much more thoughtful singer/songwriter than the one who penned "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong."
And with good reason: In 1999, Barron was diagnosed with a paralyzed vocal cord and faced a 50 percent chance of never speaking (forget singing) again. After undergoing acupuncture, taking prescription steroids, and participating in intense vocal training, Barron recovered — and his voice shows no trace of the trauma.
On Pancho and the Kid, he drops some of his Bohemian tendencies and joins the real world, even singing about his ordeal in "Why Must the Show Go On?" Strings and mandolin play key roles in some of these songs, most of which are laidback affairs steeped in the roots-rock tradition. Orchestral arrangements abound, and through the lyrics' universality, Barron emerges as a much more likeable fellow than he ever was when the Spin Doctors were one of the most ubiquitous rock bands of the Nineties.
Track Listing:
1) Brokenhearted Serenade
2) Heartbreak Boulevard
3) Can't Kick the Habit
4) Blueness
5) Intro to the King
6) I Must Be the King
7) Pretty As A Picture
8) Louisiana Holiday
9) Why Must the Show Go On?
10) Stars
11) Shades of Yesterday
12) Part of Me
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