Blues Traveler - North Hollywood Shootout (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

+1/2 -- Blues Traveler moves melodically towards the middle

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 08/30/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"After twenty years and twelve albums -- eight studio, four live -- the poppy blues-rock jam-band best remembered for their long-lived radio single "Run-Around" sought to bring the spontaneity of their stage playing into the recording studio. Forsaking their usual pre-production regimen of scripted arrangements, their latest songs were fleshed out as a group in the studio, hoping to capture the inspirational moments of the creative process, rather than a practiced reproduction. Whether they were successful is hard to say, as the telepathic musical connections born of years on the road has resulted in an album that's still highly detailed, tight and surprisingly smooth.

The band turns the guitars and drums up for a few tracks, but much of this album is rendered in a more subdued style, verging on adult contemporary pop. John Popper's distinctive vocals still provide plenty of emotional power, but it's the melodies of the mid-tempo numbers, and the catchy touches of keyboard and synthesizer that linger. The opening ode to American troops, inspired by Popper's USO visits, starts with a burbling synthesizer and gliding acoustic guitars before warming to a more emphatic chorus. A similar climb is found on "Borrowed Time," opening as a soulful piano ballad before forceful bass notes ratchet up the emotion. The shuffle of "You, Me and Everything" harkens back to "Run-Around," but with a synthesizer figure that evokes the lyrics' open road, and the light funk overtones continue with the wah-wah guitar of "Love Does," and the picturesque "Orange in the Sun."

The band adds a touch of Stax-styled horns and piano on "What Remains," and attacks the blues on "The Beacons" and "How You Remember It." The album closes with the lengthy freeform rant "Free Willis, Ruminations From Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop," proving that Bruce Willis (the guest ranter) isn't Tom Waits. Still, "Return of Bruno" fans everywhere will rejoice. Blues Traveler fans on the other hand, those who've kept the band going for twenty years through album and ticket sales, may hope this album's move to the middle (and dearth of harmonica) is more of a diversion, like 2005's broadly experimental "Bastardos!," than a wholly new direction. That said, Popper's renewed focus on melody is a winning direction. 3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]"

It Don't Mean Much If It Isn't Fun.

Brian Kious | Saint Charles, Missouri United States | 09/01/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I suppose I've been under a rock for the last ten or so years because between 1997 to today I was under the impression that Blues Traveler was no more and all we had was John Popper solo. It is a pleasant surprise to know the Trav is still kicking. So, I decided to take a risk and purchase 'Shootout' having no knowledge of any of the tunes included in this new collection. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised. From the get-go, "Forever Owed" is a gorgeous and atmospheric tune that is highly uncharacteristic of the Blues Traveler I knew in the prosperous Clinton 90s. That right there was enough for me to say, "I got my $ worth." It went on from there. "You, Me & Everything" and "Love Does" were great rock tunes that were signature Popper & Co. Well done there! So with all these kudos, three songs deep into the record you may wonder why 3 stars? The new record took a sharp turn to the kerb with "Borrowed Time." BT is returns to the uncharacteristic approach of the first track, only instead of an atmospheric thoughtful song, we get Popper singing to... piano music? Nice try, but it doesn't work. JP's thick timbre doesn't mesh well with the tickled ivories and the all-out lovesong subject matter is a buzzkill. There are a few other left turns with "What Remains" and "How You Remember It." These may not be bad as songs and it may just be a matter of taste, but they sound like they belong on other records. Other highlights are the all out rocker "The Beacons" and "Orange In The Sun" is a lot of fun. What also can't be overlooked is the guest appearance of Bruce Willis on...well... "Free Willis."

All in all, the album is one of those that after several listens is... nice. It's a nice listen and is full of rewards. Worth the risk."

BT's Best in Years

S. Flemming | 09/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After the disaster that was Bastardos, I think this slower-paced album is a definite step in the right direction.

I've been a fan for years and I can appreciate both the Blues Traveler 1.0 and 2.0 sounds for different reasons. Yes, like the other reviewers too, I miss the heavy guitar solos and the 3 minute harmonica bridges. However, I believe Blues Traveler has taken many of fan criticisms to heart and created a mix of old and new.

And to the reviewer who said there's no harp in this CD? Did you listen to it?

Anyway, NHS is just about as good as Truth be Told, which was one of the greatest BT CDs of all time. It's an easy listen, and is both reverent and poignant, with well-written lyrics and slow, soft music.

My biggest gripe about this album is that it's just too short. I wish there were more of it, because the direction in which they were going is amazing.

Since most of this review so far has been unqualified hyperbole, I'll give a song-by-song rundown of the album.

-Forever Owed - A sweet, soothing salute to the troops, nice way to open the CD, gives you an idea of what to expect.

-Love Does - Reminds me of Bridge with experimental BT 2.0 sounds, but still very poppy. This album is mostly about love with an upbeat attitude, and I can't fault the band for that.

-You, Me, and Everything - Very catchy, just a fun song to relax to. Many of BT's songs concern pain, but it's always refreshing to see one that's just typical fun relationship stuff.

-The Beacons - The biggest "jam" tune on the CD, classic Blues Traveler rock.

-What Remains - A little corny but very sweet melody, I loved this one.

-Borrowed Time - Perhaps a little depressing, but reminds me of some of the songs in Save His Soul. JP tells it how it is.

-Queen or Sarajevo - Probably my least favorite one the CD, since it reminds me of Nefertiti. Not every album needs a song about a girl.

-Orange in the Sun - AMAZING SONG, best one in years, they should release this one as a single.

-How You Remember It - Another classic BT rock song, after a few listens I love this one.

So in conclusion, I love this CD. Those taking this one to task probably haven't heard Bastardos or you aren't familiar with BT's new direction.

"

Mostly? It's just dull.

Malcolm | Los Angeles, US, Canada | 09/21/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"As I see it, Blues Traveler reinvented itself spectacularly after the death of their first bassist. Bridge and Truth Be Told are my two favorite BT albums. The addition of the piano, and a change in emphasis I think, allowed for more extensively complex arrangements and details in the studio work that I still find spectacularly inventive (my personal favorite, in terms of production, is You Reach Me from Bridge - there is so much going on in that song, it's difficult to know where to start.)

So, after those two albums, I was really expecting something outstanding from Bastardos!, and what I liked was there a couple of times (After What, Amber Waits, some others) but the experimental edge I think pushed them out of "complicated and interesting" and into "actually, sort of unpleasant and weird."

Well, it would appear they agreed, because now we have North Hollywood Shootout, one of the most ridiculous overcompensations I've ever heard from a band. It's like they listened to Bastardos! and thought "ANYTHING BUT THAT!" and made exactly the opposite - no creativity, no drive, no unexpected sounds... heck, barely anything that could be called "arrangements" in the first place.

The lengthy Amazon review mentions their approach of recording the songs as this time the same way they play live, coming up with arrangements on the spot, and boy can you tell. Especially on the single, "You, Me and Everything", it's plain as day that they came up with a groove they liked and so they just sat down and played it for 4 minutes, and called that a song. It's a fine enough groove, there's just no variety to the song at all.

Even the songs that start off sounding complex and ambitious, Orange In The Sun and The Queen Of Sarajevo, each have sections where suddenly creativity gives way to muttering over top of stereotypical and extremely bare guitar lines. The overall effect is one of listening to a draft of a much better CD, like a progress report halfway through the recording process that they would then go on to legitimately flesh out.

I mean, it's not unpleasant like Bastardos! often was (well, except for one guitar line in How You Remember It that sounds like someone dicking around at guitar center, but I digress), it's just that it's, well, just kind of dull. Repetitive. Lots of chords, with no arrangements; lots of very plain melodies, without harmony; lots of simple grooves that stay the same for the whole entire song. There are more musical ideas in any four songs off of the last few albums than on this entire disc.

Next time, a middle ground would be nice - not unpleasant and bizarre like Bastardos!, not boring and completely uninspired like this one."

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