“Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics’
November 21, 2002
Looking for a new album you can listen to during a long ride home on the weekend? Blues Traveler has released the perfect album for those long, boring drives. “Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics” is a single disc collection of all the band’s fan favorites.
Blues Traveler’s first hit, “But Anyway” opens the album. Immediately, we are reminded of the good old days when bass player Bob Sheehan still was alive and Blues Traveler was a good band. Lead singer John Popper’s harmonica stylings stand out in this one.
-Two old favorites are up next, “Gina” and “Mulling it Over.” Although these songs shine the brightest when performed live, it’s still nice to have them included in the collection.
Only die-hard fans will recognize the next songs, “Optimistic Thought” (on the second album “Travelers and Thieves”) and “Sweet Pain,” but still they made the final cut for “best of” status.
We gradually make our way into the “Four” period with songs like “Crash Burn” and “Hook,” one of the best songs off “Four.” This arguably was the highlight of Blues Traveler’s career, so it is only natural to load up the CD with four tracks from “Four” and one “Run Around” B-side called “Regarding Steven.”
It was after the recording of “Four” that the band’s popularity took a turn for the worse.
The band’s next album “Straight on Till Morning” produced just one hit, “Carolina Blues,” which made it onto “Travelogue.”
After this, Blues Traveler seemed to disappear. It wasn’t until a few years that the band would return with a slimmer John Popper, keyboard player Ben Wilson and new bassist, Tad Kinchla. The public had a hard time adjusting to the new band, and its CD “Bridge” failed miserably. Only one song from that album, “Just for Me,” makes it into “Travelogue.”
“Travelogue” is convenient because it contains a lot of fan favorites on one disc. Fans easily can make some room on their CD shelf by removing all their Blues Traveler albums and putting this one in their places. If you really want a Blues Traveler collection, buy “Live From the Fall.” The two-disc live album is what Blues Traveler is all about.