Lone Justice

1. East Of Eden

2. After The Flood

3. Ways To Be Wicked

4. Don't Toss Us Away

5. Working Late

6. Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)

7. Pass It On

8. Wait 'Til We Get Home

9. Soap, Soup And Salvation

10. You Are The Light

Tracks:

I Found Love
Shelter
Reflected (On My Side)
Beacon
Wheels
Belfry
Dreams Come True (Stand Up And Take It)
The Gift
Inspiration
Dixie Storms

Amazon.com

Singer Maria McKee, a small woman with a gigantic voice, has always had trouble finding the appropriate backup band and production style--on Lone Justice's second and final album, E Street Band guitarist Little Steven tries to turn her into the female Bruce Springsteen. He's partially successful: on the opening song, "I Found Love," McKee belts like a countrified Aretha Franklin, and each of her five successive "yeahs" sounds more explosive than the next. But while McKee's voice is timeless, the tinkly keyboards and thudding electronic drums make Shelter an '80s period piece. (Guitarist Shane Fontayne, who joined Lone Justice for this album, later performed in Springsteen's post-E Street backup band.) --Steve Knopper

Customer Reviews:

Ahh.........2007-02-19

Sing to me. I can't get Belfry out of my head. You Lone JustiCe rider. A woman against the world is what this sounds like. Holy Shiite Batman..I think I want to own the world and take up much of the darkness with my love. I wonder if Sarolta has this. It might be good..(Wink..)I love this. The tiny woman with the big guitars and voice and drums and heart. Kind of like a Tom Petty "Southern Plantation" kind of album. Don't come around here no more..Love to those freakin rockers and Maria who saved my lifE tonight if I have a crises! Love..Ahh..Is it a strong enough expression? I wanted to buy a poetry book. But I just wanted inspiration. And here it is.."Inspiration"'s the song that put Maria on aN undeniable sacred place in the hearts of the loving life changers of ths worlD!

The gift.......2004-11-29

Back in the late eighties, early nineties, I was going through a transition in my taste in music. I was discovering new music that my peers in high school would never listen to. It was definitely an alternative to the metal and r&b/hip hop music that they listened to. One of the greatest discoveries was Lone Justice's "Shelter". I bought the cassette version not long after I heard the country-ish title track on a local radio station. What really stood out for me was the keyboards in this particular song. I still love listening to "Shelter" to this very day. I really didn't care for the opening track "I Found Love". It was one of the weaker tracks on the album I thought. It lacked the lush melodies of "Shelter" and "The Gift" (another great song). Maria McKee's vocals are a bit high pitched but compare her to Britney Spears, Maria sounds like Maria Callas. Maria McKee definitely had a distinct voice all her own that you rarely hear nowadays in music. The album itself doesn't really have one particular sound. At times it sounds rather country-ish with a little folk thrown in for good measure, and other times it is more rock. Some of the songs worked for me, and some like "Beacon" and "I Found Love" didn't work for me. Nevertheless, Lone Justice did have a sound of their own.

Doesn't sound like the debut because it's a different band,.......2004-06-22

And that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Someone decided to ditch the original members of Lone Justice after their killer 1985 debut and start all over with Maria McKee alone. Like I said, having Maria around is never a bad thing, but I wonder why they decided to issue this album as Lone Justice? This is really the first Maria McKee solo album and in that vein it's just fine. Gone are the inspired country-punks of 1985, and believe me, they'll be missed, but this album stand up pretty well all on it's own. High points are I Found Love, the title track, Reflected (On My Side), Wheels and Dixie Storms, but there isn't a bad apple in this bunch.

A letdown.......2003-12-16

The first Lone Justice album was a masterpiece. It was consistent and cohesive. But for a few songs, this one is, in contrast, an incoherent letdown. I'll never forget seeing this band perform in person or on SNL during the "Shelter" tour. They were distilled energy, absolutely brilliant, and Maria McKee prowling the stage or bouncing in place was ready to devour the world and the audience. "I Found Love", the first track on this CD, was the highlight of their shows. Despite the overproduction here, it remains a great song, and Lone Justice was one of the musical high points of the 80's. Maybe that doesn't say much, but I'd put the early Lone Justice in the same class as the early Pretenders or Pixies, without the commercial success of the former or the fan base of the latter. I thought one reviewer's comparison with Patti Smith's band was apt - Maria McKee shook up rock in the mid-80's for me about as much as Patti Smith did in the mid-70's.

Of course, Maria McKee turned out not to be a rocker at heart, and Lone Justice was soon gone. You can hear them fading on this CD. At the time, I didn't enjoy this recording much, with its departure from the band's original fiery sound, though "Shelter" and "Dixie Storms" seemed like good enough ballads. With the passage of time, listening to it today, it seems more consistently interesting, with moments of true pleasure in many songs, though none beyond the first are much more or much less than mediocre lyrically or musically. Bottom line - this doesn't begin to measure up to the first Lone Justice album, but then Lone Justice fans like me might think that Maria McKee's later, quieter work doesn't measure up to this CD. It's a middle ground or a transition point.

The reviewers below mention many good points about listening to "Shelter" in the 21st century. The production makes it sound dated, unlike their debut album. The quality of the songs is inconsistent. This was a stunning band live, but this recording didn't come close to capturing their sound. Still, underneath, there is Maria McKee's voice and passion. She is in fine voice here, and even if this was a poor Lone Justice album, hearing her remains worthwhile. If you're a fan of her later work, this may be a good addition to your collection. If you know the band only from the first Lone Justice album, this may be a disappointment. Then again, for $7 you really can't lose.

Not to be passed by..........2003-03-24

Let's get it out of the way - this is not Maria McKee's best record. However, it is far from being a bad record. Some of her most accessible songs and uplifting work is here.

I think Maria must've had her eyes on the pop prize, and in 1986, that meant dressing up your sound in whacking drum machines and icy synthesizers. Yet, if you're willing to cut through that mess, there's some very rewarding stuff here. Her producers replaced the country-rock of the first Lone Justice record entirely. The rock that results, however, results in letting her voice and lyrical ambitions reach to heights not possible in the old milieu.

Cases in point: "The Gift" and "Inspiration" revel in their reaches for a higher plane. On "Inspiration" especially, Maria's voice is the vehicle that's going to take you there. Her career is full of vocal high points, but this one stands out. She stretches her voice to reach over the rock wall and succeeds mightily. It's like Tina Turner battling Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" on "River Deep Mountain High-" the artistic tension between the clash of styles results in amazing work.

Maria's songwriting stays on point, as well. "Shelter" should have been the hit that made her rich, but...the same thing that's wrong with radio today was the same thing that was wrong back then. "I Found Love" is a stomper, and "Dixie Storms" closes the record sweetly.

Tracks:

East Of Eden
After The Flood
Ways To Be Wicked
Don't Toss Us Away
Working Late
Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)
Pass It On
Wait 'Til We Get Home
Soap, Soup And Salvation
You Are The Light

Customer Reviews:

Ways to Be Wicked.......2007-01-05

I purchased this CD after years of fond memories of the album and cassette--it hearkens back to college years. Maria McKee & her band have terrific energy, and this is a perfect soundtrack for cleaning the house, baking, and singing along at the top of your lungs. I've always enjoyed and appreciated this recording for its production value--some impressive special guests, and the song order embodies the best of what an "album" used to be.

one of the quintessential albums of the 80s.......2006-04-13

The first Lone Justice Album has an edgy, slightly raw feeling that showcases Maria McKee's vocal prowess better than any of her other efforts. While I have everything she ever made this remains my favorite. And the group rocks. I had the privilege of seeing them in an LA club shortly after this album came out and they were fantastic live.

This is one of those CDs that just keeps getting better every time you play it. A must have for any fan of rock music.

Found her Again.......2005-12-10

Thought I'd review other's reviews before submitting mine, and it seems like a lot of people wonder why this album didn't get much notice, didn't sell.....I'm just glad I found it 20 years ago or so. It's as emotionally riveting to me today as the first time I ever heard her voice. I sang along with her songs during some dark & sunny days in my life. I dreamed of the day I would became a mother so I could sing her songs to my baby girl. I sang Maria's songs to my baby girl when she was still inside me, and I do to this day. Her voice is immensely appreciated by those that listen to her, whether we are 1 or a million.

.The Apex of Maria McKee's Recordings.......2005-07-30

I was on the east coast and so had no direct access to the early-mid 1980s 'cowpunk' wave that provided real music worth hearing to Southern California club audiences. At the time, both commercially backed Country and rock 'n' roll were going downhill at an alarming speed. But prospects for a brighter future were on the horizon.

I first heard Lone Justice on one of the then few surviving 1970s-style FM stations: the ones that focused all energy on discovering great music, whether newly recorded or overlooked from the past. Maria's voice knocked me over; it struck me then as like a cross between Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette that was then revved up to the fastest rockabilly speed and energy level. When I finally got to see Lone Justice in concert, I was not disappointed: Maria was all in person that she seemed to be on record.

The self-titled Lone Justice debut is a classic of Country Rock. Not a single song is a throw away. Perhaps the best way to understand how great the album is, and how powerfully evocative Maria's voice is, is to listen to 'Don't Toss Us Away' (which was written by Maria's half-brother Bryan MacLean). When I first heard it, I declared that it should be a #1 Country hit, and later it was for Patty Loveless. I like Patty Loveless a great deal, but I have no hesitance in asserting that the Lone Justice version of 'Don't Toss Us Away' is superior to the Country hit. That a slip of a young girl pulled it off is simply amazing.

Perhaps my favorite song on the album is 'After the Flood,' which Maria wrote. It is a California version of agrarianism in song, one that rocks. 'Soap, Soup, and Salvation' shows Maria as writer to have a keen sense of humor and eye for detail. On bassist Marvin Etzioni's 'Working Late,' Maria also shows her comic chops as a frustrated young wife who sounds as if she is about to hunt bear when he does get home from the alleged working late. 'Sweet, Sweet Baby,'which Maria co-wrote with Heartbreaker Benmont Tench (who plays keyboards on the album) and E Street Band member Little Steven VanZandt, shows her ability to belt blue-eyed soul in the mold of a Linda Ronstadt. Etzioni's 'You Are the Light' is an ideal album closer.

This album should be owned by anyone with anything more than a passing interest in Country rock or rockabilly or the 1980s Country revival, which featured Maria's friend Dwight Yoakam (she sings on his debut album) and Steve Earle. The dirt-cheap price means you can purchase several copies to give as gifts.

Stands the test of time...........2004-03-08

It's an old album I used to have on vinyl and played over and over and over again. Many years later I get the CD and have the same reaction. Every song is excellent, every song highlights one of the most unappreciated voices in modern mucic. Why Maria McKee and Lone Justice weren't superstars I'll never know.

Average customer rating:

An Excellent Overview
Maria & Ryans Bad Karma catches up with them here
If you live and die by Lone Justice.....
The Album Should Not Be In Your Home
Overlong Anthology

This World Is Not My Home
Lone Justice
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Lone Justice
Life Is Sweet
Shelter
Maria McKee
You Gotta Sin to Get Saved

ASIN: B00000HY31
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

Drugstore Cowboy
Rattlesnake Mama
This World Is Not My Home
Working Man Blues
Cottonbelt
Go Away Little Boy
The Train
East Of Eden
Ways To Be Wicked
Don't Toss Us Away
You Are The Light
Sweet Jane (Live)
I Found Love
Shelter
Dixie Storms
Sweet, Sweet Baby (Live)
Wheels (Live)

Amazon.com

This World Is Not My Home weds seven songs from Lone Justice's two albums (issued in 1985 and 1986) with 10 previously unreleased tracks. Of these 10, eight predate the 1985 breakup in which guitarist Ryan Hedgecock, bassist Marvin Etzioni, and drummer Don Heffington split from lead vocalist Maria McKee. That's a good thing, because the initial lineup easily outshone the too-smooth studio pros who replaced them. Souped-up covers of the traditional "Rattlesnake Mama" and Merle Haggard's "Working Man Blues," both recorded in 1983, lay bare the band's roots in the then-raging Los Angeles punkabilly scene. Etzioni's energetic riffs ricochet off the bedrock rhythm section and McKee's tremulous trill cuts with a gritty edge. But the last third of the disc, including three songs from the lackluster second album and a gimmicky cover of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" (with guest vocalist Bono) is noticeably weaker. --Anders Smith-Lindall

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Overview.......2006-02-24

Here, Maria's sweat flows from this combined best-of/rarities collection as if from her brow, and her heart ... hell, her heart beats like a rhythm section all its own. Check out the live version of "Sweet, Sweet Baby" for one example. For another, skip back to the early demos which lead off the disc ... or the re-mastered version of "Shelter" that seduces you into its groove. Other gems include the Bob Dylan-penned "Go Away Little Boy" (featuring Dylan and Ron Wood on guitars) and an in-concert duet of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" with U2's Bono. As good and strong as those songs are, it's the band's previously unreleased demos that prove most earth-shattering. The Maria-penned "Drugstore Cowboy," for example, is a shotgun blast of authentic cowpunk-and far, far more. An infectious psychodrama framed in a country twang, it hints at everything to come, both for Lone Justice and Maria on her own.

Maria & Ryans Bad Karma catches up with them here.......2004-11-05

When I heard this band in the early 1980s The were HOT. The Original Rhythm section of David Harrington & Donny Willens was like a runaway locomotive. The original Lone Justice was akin to Sister Rosetta Tharp meets Creedence Clear Water & The Stones. Due to an inexperienced manager's poor advice, Ryan & Maria signed with David Geffen. U-2s Producer Jimmy Iovine who was already bought and paid for, was plamed off on Lone Justice. the rhythm section was sacked and the resulting albums were a poor excuse for what the band had previously strived so hard to sound like. The self titled first album "Lone Justice" was a milk-sop album of middle-of-the-road, wimp-rock! The only saving grace of any of the Lone Justice recordings ever released is this album "This World Is Not My Home" and it's previously unreleased cuts that feature the band in the early original form of their 1980s "Heydays." As of late, Maria Mckee can hardly carry a tune in a bucket, and it's hard to determine which is worse Ryan Hedgecock's voice or guitar playing.Neither of which were ever very good to begin with!

If you live and die by Lone Justice............2004-10-05

....then it's possible that this collection will appeal to you. For anyone else I'd strongly recommend just picking up the band's two albums, Lone Justice and Shelter. I guess the rarities will appeal to some, but in all honesty they're just not that good. Ever since the Super Bowl debacle, Bono's appearance on an album gives a project a sense of whorishness, like a record company cash grab, which is pretty much the stench that pervades much of this album. Maria McKee has a great voice, and Lone Justice was her best platform to date to showcase that voice, but not like this.

The Album Should Not Be In Your Home.......2003-04-16

The castoff collection sounds just like a collection of b-Sides, which is, I suppose, what it is. The album is simply not as good as LJ's albums. Maria McKee's cowgirl posturing is off putting, and her screeching will make you beg for mercy. McKee is a great singer, but you'd never know it from this album. Everything here is a bit off kilter, if you doubt, compare her version of "Way's To Be Wicked' with Tom Petty's vastly superior original. Stick with LJ's actual albums, or better yet, McKee's solo work.

Overlong Anthology.......2003-04-08

While it often seems today as if No Depression icons Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy invented the idea of melding punk rock and country music in the early 1990s with their band Uncle Tupelo, the idea had actually been around long before that. In the 1980s, Lone Justice were perhaps the most visible practishioners of the form, managing to rise to the cusp of a breakthrough to stardom but not quite succeeding. So along comes "The World is Not My Home," to summarize the career of a band that recorded a mere two studio albums and exactly half that many hit singles.

The hit "Shelter," is here, of course. But what is particularly notable about this summation of the band's career is how few memorable songs they recorded overall. After "Shelter," the number two in this collection would probably be the rousing "I Found Love." Lead singer Maria McKee has an excellent voice, but without much in the way of strong hooks or catchy choruses, she mostly labors in vain. Even the live cover of "Sweet Jane," a duet with Bono no less, is much inferior to The Cowboy Junkies' memorably haunting version of the song that appeared a few years later.

Tracks:

You Are The Light
Ways To Be Wicked
East Of Eden
Go Away Little Boy
Working Late
Don't Toss Us Away
Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)
Shelter
I Found Love
Wheels
Dixie Storms
Drugstore Cowboy

Customer Reviews:

Not totally stuck in the 80's, after all ..........2005-04-10

Back in the 1980's, when vinyl 45's (yes kids, those are comparable to CD singles ... there was a song on each side and you had to have a record player to play them ... oy, I'm getting old!), I purchased Lone Justice's "Shelter" for about two bucks at a record store. The song had some of the requisite 80's synth arrangements, yes -- but it also had much of that prescient country twang in it, which was way ahead of its time in popular music, and for that reason (among others) to my ears it sounded vastly different from anything on the Top 40 or popular radio at the time.

Fast forward to the new millenium (where did all those years GO?!) and the advent of Napster, amazon.com, and all of the other ways the music industry has so craftily made it easy for us to shop (and shop and shop) from home, with the added benefit of "try it before you buy it". (So alluring. Hey, progress ain't all bad). One listen to the entire "Best of Lone Justice" convinced me that I'd missed out on a whole lot of other great music from Marie McKee & company in the intervening decades.

Perhaps the very best thing about the song "Shelter" (which in itself is pretty mesmerizing, musically speaking) was -- and is -- Maria McKee's voice. The same is true -- in spades -- of this great collection. If Cyndi Lauper ever went country and God had blessed her with a bit more range and a dash of Kate Bush's vocal gymnastics, well, that'd be Maria McKee. There is a plaintive, emotional vulnerability in her voice, but at the same time those pipes are the muscled, heart-on-the-sleeve force that gets behind these songs and makes them ring in your head until you can't resist, in spite of the sometimes excessive studio gloss.

The Motown-ish touches on some of the songs ("I Found Love") are surprising, but they do work well, and lend interest and a welcome note of unpredictability to the set. There are some excellent arrangements here; tasty piano (see "Dixie Storms"), and "East of Eden" is ripe with booming drums and a gleefully undulating bass beat -- a song I'm hard pressed to sit still through. Lone Justice's punk/rockabilly cred comes through in that gem, and "Working Late" continues the romp. Bittersweet lyrics sung with conviction and a dose of devil may care sass. "Don't Toss Us Away" showcases Maria's voice, front and center, with spare arrangements. A country-waltz-heart bleeder, this one rings with the sound of a soul who's been taken by surprise, faced suddenly with the anguish of losing what she thought was a certain and loyal love ... the desperation is palpable and wrenching. That's the power of Maria McKee's voice. In lesser hands (think American Idol) it might not have the same convincing heft. Might not? Definitely not!

These are old-school story songs -- messages in a musical bottle -- sung at full emotional aria by Maria McKee, who apparently hasn't got the critical recognition she deserves as the forerunner of so many of today's female artists, or for her own accomplishments in their own right. The "dream album" for me now would be "Maria McKee" unplugged. Having heard enough live music without accompaniment, I'm squarely in the camp which believes the human voice -- sotto voce -- is the ultimate instrument. In the same vein,Dar Williams, Patti Griffin and Gillian Welch are all in the vanguard of pricking up the public ears and restoring the the voice to its place of rightful prominence, above and beyond the trappings of videos, mulit-million dollar concerts laden with entourages and enough special effects to hide the lack of actual talent, the countlss pretty faces who can sort of sing (Faith Hill, anyone?), and the whole "please God, let it be over soon" "new/young country" scene.)

This album isn't perfect -- if you're playing it full blast in the car with the windows down there are some songs you may want to pass over or turn the volume down on -- but it is a really satisfying showcase for Maria McKee's distinctive talent (admittedly an acquired taste, but like dark chocolate you'll end up preferring it over anything else once you've experienced it a few times). This collection deserves a thorough listen. Leave your assumptions at the door and open your ears ...

Average customer rating:

Step Back in Time!

Radio 1 Live in Concert
Lone Justice
Manufacturer: BBC Windsong
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Lone Justice
Ultimate Collection

ASIN: B000001QDJ
Release Date: 1993-11-10

Tracks:

Wait
Sweet Baby
I Ain't Got No Home in This World
Gift
Wheels
Shelter
Belfrey
I Found Love
Heaven
Inspiration
Sweet Jane

Customer Reviews:

Step Back in Time!.......2003-08-27

In preparing for a recent long drive in my car, I began assembling some cd's that I hadn't listened to in a while. This was one of them.
It remained untouched until the return trip, and when it finally made it into the cd player, it remained for the rest of the trip and is still there three days later.
What a marvelous representation of what must have been a terific show. From the first song, "Wait" (Wait 'til We Get Home - from the first album), to the last, a rendition of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane", this is a raucous, thoughtful, sweet, and uplifting concert. My only wish is that I had actually been there.
Great stuff and perfect for a road trip!!

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This World Is Not My Home
Lone Justice
Manufacturer: Universal/Geffen
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000JAB1

Album Details

Japanese Version featuring a Bonus Track: Go Away Little Boy.

Average customer rating:

Lone Justice
Lone Justice
Manufacturer: Universal Special Products
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002B9BL6
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Average customer rating:

Lone Justice

Manufacturer: Geffen
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000BOCN
Release Date: 1985-07-01

Tracks:

East Of Eden
After The Flood
Ways To Be Wicked
Don't Toss Us Away
Working Late
Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)
Pass It On
Wait 'Til We Get Home
Soap, Soup And Salvation
You Are The Light

Average customer rating:

Cowgirl Blues
Becky Barksdale
Manufacturer: Bark at the Moon Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0009P8C8I
Release Date: 2002-11-19

Tracks:

I Can't Stop Loving You
I'll Say Goodbye
I've Missed
Everything Is Nothing
I've Gotta See You Again

Product Description

Track listing: 1) I Can't Stop Loving You, 2) I'll Say Goodbye, 3) I've Missed, 4) Everything Is Nothing, 5) I've Got To See You Again

Rock Music:

Rock Music