Blow Up The Moon

Blues Traveler

Loud & Proud Records, 2015

http://www.bluestraveler.com

REVIEW BY: Pete Crigler

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 03/21/2015

On their umpteenth album, Blues Traveler have decided to try something new and different and to think outside of the box. They’ve decided to share songwriting and performing duties on every track with a variety of different artists. Artists they’ve collaborated with on this disc include electro-pop duo 3OH!3, country group Thompson Square, JC Chasez of ‘N Sync and Hanson.

Now, many people would think that the band have lost their damn mind and for the most part, they’re correct. “Hurricane” with 3OH!3 would’ve been a great song if the band had performed it themselves, but it just sounds like an attempt to get on the radio with people who were hot six years ago.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

Don’t get me wrong, I like Blues Traveler, but it just seems that this didn’t need to happen. Everything on the disc strikes me as an attempt to stay relevant. While Popper’s harmonica is still present on tracks, it sounds like others performed the music. The title track seemingly sounds like a Dirty Heads song with Popper on backing vocals and harmonica, but in reality it’s just 3OH!3 and JC Chasez from ‘N Sync. Talk about staying relevant, for God’s sake.

“Castaway” actually features the Dirty Heads, featuring Rome from the ‘new’ Sublime. This doesn’t even sound like anything Blues Traveler would do and this whole disc reeks of desperation. All I can say is this album sucks! What happened to the band that gave us “100 Years” and “Run-Around?” We need that band back…

The less said about tracks like “Vagabond Blues” and “Nikkia’s Prom” the better off we all are. “Top Of The World” with Hanson and “The Darkness We All Need” with Secondhand Serenade are the only songs that sound like vintage Blues Traveler, if only the lyrics weren’t so bad. When the first voice you hear on a track is not Popper but a country duo, you know you’re screwed.

Many tracks feel like Popper is just onboard as a background vocalist with a harmonica in tow.

Needless to say, this is already a black spot on the band. Listening to it only confirms that this is an experiment that should’ve been cancelled immediately. Poor Blues Traveler, this is their seventh record label in about fifteen years and this is what they come up with. Why don’t they just become like The B-52’s and just tour from now on, with no more new material. Don’t even bother with this bore, take your money elsewhere. Time to put this dog out of its misery.

Rating: F

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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