Artist: Blues Traveler Release Date: Jul 1997
Format: CD Record Label: A&M (USA)
Genre: Rock UPC: 731454075022
Sub-Genre: -- Duration: Album

Track listing
1. Carolina Blues
2. Felicia
3. Justify the Thrill
4. Canadian Rose
5. Business as Usual
6. Yours
7. Psycho Joe
8. Great Big World
9. Battle of Someone
10. Most Precarious
11. Gunfighter, The
12. Last Night I Dreamed
13. Make My Way


Details
Playing time: 65 min.
Contributing artists: John Medeski
Distributor: Universal Distribution
Recording type: Studio
Recording mode: Stereo
SPAR Code: n/a


Album notes
Blues Traveler: John Popper (vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar, harmonica); Chan Kinchla (guitar); Bob Sheehan (bass); Brendan Hill (drums).
Additional personnel: James Gaskill, Alicia Edelberg, Barry Finclair, Browning Cramer, Marilyn Reynolds, Stanley Kurtis, Lucia Morganstern (violin); Lamar Alsop, Juliet Hafner, Samuel Kephart (viola); Frederick Zlotin, Ellen Zoe Hassman (cello); Paul Griffin (piano); John Medeski (Hammond B-3 organ); Larry Hoppen (Fender Rhodes, organ); Mark Eddinger (keyboards); Lewis Paer (bass); Sammy Figueroa (percussion); Robin Clark, Tawatha Agee, Vivion Cherry, Alison Barbiero, Lauren Barbiero (background vocals).
Producers: Steve Thompson, Michael Barbiero.
Recorded at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York and Sear Sound, New York, New York.
Personnel: John Popper (vocals, whistling, acoustic 12-string guitar, 12-string guitar, harmonica, sound effects, background vocals); Chan Kinchla (guitar); Marilyn Reynolds, Barry Finclair, Lucia Morganstern, Stan Kurtis, Browning Cramer, James Gaskill, Alicia Edelberg (violin); Lamar Alsop, Samuel Kephart, Juliet Haffner (viola); Ellen Zoe Hassman, Frederick Zlotkin (cello); Paul Griffin (piano); Larry Hoppen (Fender Rhodes piano, organ); John Medeski (Fender Rhodes piano); Mark Eddinger (keyboards); Bobby Sheehan (bass guitar); Brendan Hill (drums, percussion, sound effects); Sammy Figueroa (percussion); Lauren Barbiero, Alison Barbiero, Tawatha Agee, Robin Clark, Vivian Cherry (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Michael Barbiero; Steve Thompson .
Recording information: Bearsville Studios, NY; Sear Sound, N.Y.C., NY.
Photographer: Frank Ockenfels.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Marty Sheridan; Mark Eddinger.
Arrangers: Michael Barbiero; Steve Thompson ; Blues Traveler.
STRAIGHT ON is the much-anticipated follow-up to FOUR, the band's 1994 breakthrough. The album shows a band whose creativity has grown exponentially without sacrificing any of their edge. John Popper's songwriting has more of a romantic bent this time around, as on the Latin-flavored "Felicia."
Complimenting Popper's romantic ruminations is the impressive first crack at a string arrangement gilding "Yours," a sweeping ballad that avoids any hint of mawkishness. Musically, Blues Traveler stretch their boundaries with songs like the Paul Butterfield-meets-XTC "Psycho Joe," which skewers the exploitative nature of talk shows. BT's finest moment comes on "Make My Way," a gospel-soaked, Stax-flavored number that finds the band joined by Sweet Inspirations-style backup singers and keyboardist John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood fame).


Editorial reviews
3 Stars (out of 5) - ...[Blues Traveler] remains an improvisational powerhouse onstage, while taking a radio friendlier tack in the studio, emphasizing songs that are more than pegs for extended solos...
Rolling Stone

...they've souped up a perfect road album, stressing riffs and beats that tear along at a brisk clip. But they've also grounded their jams in appealingly long melodies....In [Popper's] hands, an often slurred and whining instrument finds the clarity of a fined-tuned lead guitar... - Rating: B
Entertainment Weekly (07/11/1997)

THIS CD IS JUST LIKE NEW COMES WITH CASE AND FRONT AND BACK ARTWORK.

Portions of this page Copyright 1988 - 2010 MSI Music Corp. All rights reserved.
Portions of this page Copyright 1948 - 2010 Muze Inc. All rights reserved.