Blues Traveler: North Hollywood Shootout

Test Spin


September 11, 2008
By Suzanne Baumgarten

They’ve done it again. Blues Traveler’s recent album, North Hollywood Shootout, features songs just as catchy and just as feel-good as their notorious album Four. The album as a whole is not so different from the band’s previous work, so that new fans and old fans alike can appreciate the blues-rock mix, along with lead singer John Popper’s soul-filled voice. The album opens with “Forever Owed,” one of those songs that can only be described a constant-repeat. “The Queen of Sarajevo” features Popper’s intense and unique harmonica solos and tracks such as “You, Me and Everything” and “The Landing” resemble old favorites “Run-Around” and “Hook” in their forward moving and memorable beats. “What Remains” stands out from the rest of the album — and Blues Traveler’s work generally — with its jazzy undertones and low-key melody. This track, along with the rest of North Hollywood Shootout, makes it clear that “what remains” of Blues Traveler after all these years is definitely worth a listen.