Once you get past the fact that Blues Traveler does not play any music that could be called blues, you find a fairly talented band. Each member of the band is impressive on his instrument, and Popper’s vocals are average at worst. In contrast to some other “jam bands”, they even write some fairly catchy tunes. The lyrics are often nonsensical and the scatting on “Stand” is embarassing, but that is not the point of this music.

The band sounds best on light, upbeat tunes such as “Run-Around”, “Stand”, and “Brother John”. The slightly harder rock of “Fallible” also works fairly well, driven by Kinchla’s wah-drenched guitar. On ballads like “Look Around”, however, they can be unbearably sappy. “The Mountains Win Again” avoids this, and is a beautiful lament.