Read Review of Straight On Till Morning by Blues Traveler
Review Summary
About the Author
Blues Traveler's Hollow Attempt to Return to Their Roots
May 18 '04 (Updated May 18 '04)
Pros Two good songs...
Cons Eleven either mediocre or just plain boring songs...
The Bottom Line Blues Traveler is a talented, intelligent outfit. Unfortunately, Straight on Till Morning doesn't reflect their artistic ability.
Full Review
On one hand, I respect Blues Traveler. In the 1990’s they managed to bring blues-rock to the masses with a string of increasingly more credible (and popular) singles. Songs like But Anyway, Hook, and Run-Around proved that they were a valid and entertaining four-piece band. Though, with that said, they had to dig themselves out of the hole created by their mainstream success with their appropriately titled fourth album, 1994’s Four.
Led by the jolly harmonica-man and singer John Popper and rounded out by guitarist Chan Kinchla, bassist Bobby Sheehan, and drummer Brendan Hill Blues Traveler’s star was on the rise in the mid-1990’s. But instead of bowing to their MTV audiences, the band followed up their successful fourth album with a live release titled Live From the Fall and 1997’s Straight on Till Morning. It was the latter album that for me marked the end of my amiable relationship with Blues Traveler.
Why? Well, the fact is that Straight on Till Morning lacked purpose and direction and for that matter just tends to blend in. There is little about the lackluster release that strikes me as special and even less that makes me want to continue to listen. But I have—for years now in fact—just hoping for something to jump out at me. Alas, very little has and I’m left feeling unfulfilled and unhappy. Certainly, I must congratulate the band on the hip and catchy single Most Precarious and the lighthearted Canadian Rose. They are clearly the most important moments of this otherwise forgettable (but not painful) album.
Some would say that the looseness is a more realistic reflection of the band’s touring persona. But I disagree—I think the most real representation of the band can be found in their earliest albums, most specifically their first self-titled release. Straight on Till Morning is certainly chipper but that fact can’t make up for the hollowness of the whole thing. I feel as if the band just recorded an album for the sake of recording an album and nothing more as it lacks conviction and heart.
Most Precarious likely seems like a cop out for a choice of best song. But it is not. Regardless of the fact that I’ve heard it before it still is most striking when considered in the context of Straight on Till Morning. Blues Traveler may not accurately represent themselves as a jam band in this song, but that doesn’t stop it from entertaining. The bouncy tune is friendly and catchy—maybe it’s not a classic, but still when buried late on the album amongst a bunch of bland monotony it stands out.
Also standing out is Canadian Rose which contains my favorite lyrics of the entire album. In typical Blues Traveler fashion, Popper’s harmonica is the first thing you really hear. But what makes it something more special is the languid style and Popper’s equally easy vocals. And then those lyrics with references to love and loss and the seasons of the heart:
And she called me her ugly American
And I would call her my Canadian flower
And I don't think that we'll ever get there again
We had such power
And she would call me her ugly American
And I'll remember my Canadian rose
Especially when the fall comes to Burlington
We were in so close
Of course, I’ve just spoken to two of the songs despite the fact that there are an additional eleven. Some are better than others, but if one thing remains constant it is that almost everything fails to impress. At first, with the rich bluesy opening of Carolina Blues it seems as though things might be on the right track. Truth be told, that song fails because of the lack of direction, lengthy opening, and the bad balance of instruments and vocals. As the album progresses, it on the whole does little to further involve me as listener. A few other songs are mildly inviting like Make My Way, Great Big World, the darkly wry Psycho Joe (Goes to the Electric Chair), and the relatively evocative Yours are all fine enough offerings but not enough by a long shot to outweigh the boringness of the other songs.
I really want to love Straight on Till Morning, but because of the lack of consistency, problematic production, bland melody, and monotonous arrangements I cannot. It is clear that Blues Traveler was attempting to return to their roots and drop much of their newly acquired pop visage, but they instead just came off as nothing special at all. If forced to say which album was the band’s best, I think 1990’s Blues Traveler fits the bill with a close second going to Four. Straight on Till Morning sounds like nothing more than a stop-gap.
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Carolina Blues
02. Felicia
03. Justify the Thrill
04. Canadian Rose
05. Business as Usual
06. Yours
07. Psycho Joe (Goes to the Electric Chair)
08. Great Big World
09. Battle of Someone
10. Most Precarious
11. The Gunfighter
12. Last Night I Dreamed
13. Make My Way
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