A largely eclectic and overproduced work,
Ko-Ko Joe isn't a great
Jerry Reed album. From the loose
Creedence Clearwater Revival meets
the Charlie Daniels Band boogie of the title cut, to the countrified
Tom Jones-like quality of the more pop-oriented "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "A Stranger to Me," the set lacks consistency. A four-minute mock anti-smoking dialogue, which appears to be more of a comedy piece than anything, is followed by a dead-serious cover of
Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain." Anthemic pop songs, straight country, and more blues-oriented songs are also included, making this a rather confusing and difficult listen.