Search - Tom Johnston :: Still Feels Good

Better than the first album

S. M. Engel | Amsterdam Netherlands | 11/03/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I personally prefer this album compared to his first solo-release. It's sounds more like a band performance. It has one lost Doobies classic om it "Baby take me in". Recommended for Doobies-fans only, though.

Why did Wounded Bird Records not release this album (33 minutes only) with "Everything You've Heard Is True" (29 minutes !) on 1 CD ?

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Main Doobie Brother 2nd Solo Outing

C. tota | Connecticut | 07/19/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album is an improvement over the first solo record. Johnston's hope was probably to take his material beyond where it had been as a Doobie. Ironically, bringing in new producer keyboard wiz Michael Omartian only brought Johnston back to square one. This album (as the last one), has a great host of guest artists including fellow Doobie Pat Simmons and Red Rhodes on pedal steel guitar. Johnston shines brightest on the ballad Excuse Me Ma'am, rocks out on Baby, Take Me In. But overall it just doesn't come close to any of the Doobie's albums (including their underappreciated first album). For Doobie completists only."

A return to the classic Doobies sound

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 07/08/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tom Johnston's second solo album "Still Feels Good" is a solid outing for the founder and main vocalist for The Doobie Brothers during the early 70's. He's in fine voice throughout and the best songs sound like outtakes from "Stampede" or "What Were Vices Are Now Habits". Featuring stellar harmony vocals from Doobie Patrick Simmons, sax from the late Cornelius Bumpus (also a former Doobie having played with the Michael McDonald incarnation at the end)and the late Bobby LaKind (another former Doobie and conga player than appeared on many of the band's albums)Johnston's soulful vocals are a highlight on the album. His guitar playing is also top notch throughout(although it misses the interplay that he used to demonstrate with Pat Simmons)guitar player Greg Douglas provides a good foil for Johnston.



The majority of the songs from the opening "Madman" through to "Last Desperado" and "One-Way Ticket" have solid playing and enough hooks to satisfy Doobie fans who listened to Johnston's classics "China Grove", "Long Train Runnin'", "Listen to the Music" and "Another Park, Another Sunday". The only way this release could have been improved is to have liner notes discussing the making of the album (the booklet only has the original album credits)and perhaps some of Johnston's demos for songs that did and didn't make the album to round out this release. At 34 minutes its a quality release that probably could have been combined with Johnston's first solo album and/or augmented with additional material.



As someone else pointed out this probably could have been combined with Johnston's disco and R&B flavored first solo album as both combined run under 70 minutes. It's a pity that due to the cost of licensing the album that they couldn't provide us with outtakes and demos from the session. I would have been interested in hearing some of the acoustic demos that Tommy recorded put together for this album. I'd recommend this along with the Doobies boxed set "Long Train Runnin'".



Wounded Bird Records have consistently re-released low key minor classics over the last couple of years. Whether it be The Byrds on their underrated reunion or it be cult icon Marshall Crenshaw the label has done a good job of making music that a small group of fans love available again. They've done a fine job here re-releasing this overlooked gem.



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