Lets Pretend the Last Four Didn't Happen

Blues Traveler

Suzie Cracks the Whip

2012, 429 Records

produced by SAM and Sluggo

John Popper - vocals, harmonica
Chan Kinchla - guitars
Tad Kinchla - bass
Brendan Hill - drums
Ben Wilson - pianos, organ, keyboards

singles-

• You Don't Have to Love Me

To see all the other Blues Traveler albums go here, and here...

Finally, Blues Traveler comes back with a record that doesn't suck. It seems that John Popper is over his post-Bobby Sheehan grief, at least enough to stop writing depressing, introspective, crappy songs and comes back with an album full of singable tunes. Writing with the great Ron Sexsmith has seemed to unlock the John Popper we used to know, the hearty harpoon player of old. We saw a glimmer of this in Truth be Told, and North Hollywood Shootout, but this album goes the distance. You can hear pieces of Traveler's and Thieves and Save his Soul in this album and it brings hope that the band has finally come back to stay.

Also, it appears that Ben Wilson has finally found his place in the group and has stopped enabling the miserable, pussified, emo John Popper monster and has contributed some good stuff. I'm sure part of this resurgence has to do with the collaboration with SAM and Sluggo, producers famous for work with Metro Station, and Coheed and Cambria.