Corporate Line: One of the main differences between On My Way and Kweller’s first album, Sha Sha, is the distinctly live feel of the new record. Produced by Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams), the motto put forward from the beginning of the session was “performance first.” With that in mind, Kweller and his bandmates recorded with all instruments together in one room and minimal separation between amplifiers and drums. The band played mostly without headphones to ensure that each member could hear and react to the whole sound being produced in the room, instead of focusing on what each individual had in his headphones. These underused yet effective techniques ultimately gave the vocal and instrumental delivery a more impromptu feel.
The Good:
Nothing.
The Average:
“Believer” – Cute, yet could have been better if the lyrics were interesting.
“I Need You Back” – There is something grinding about this and its either the sing or the lyrics, maybe both.
“Hospital Bed” – Vanilla.
“On My Way” – There is something about Kweller that doesn’t turn you on like a Beck has to offer.
“Living Life” and “Ann Disaster” – If singing out of tune was cool Kweller would be the greatest.
The Ugly:
“The Rules” – “Aw please show me all the rules”… there are no rules to writing good songs, just don’t release bad ones.
Frankly: Ben Kweller brings on a yawn. The lyrics often get lost in the music and in their mediocrity. There is so little to say, so little to comment on. Yawn.
+ Rae Gun
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