Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics

• Artist: Blues Traveler
• Rating:
• Release Date: November 12, 2002
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

With the release of Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics, Blues Traveler completes its major-label trajectory. Signed to A&M Records in 1990, the group achieved modest but increasing sales with its first three albums, Blues Traveler, Travelers & Thieves, and Save His Soul, then hit the big time with the six-times-platinum Four and its Top Ten single "Run-Around." A concert album, Live from the Fall, and a studio follow-up, Straight on Till Morning, each went platinum, but then during a four-year break bassist Bob Sheehan died of a drug overdose and morbidly obese singer/harmonica player John Popper solved his chronic health problems by having his stomach stapled. When Blues Traveler returned to action in 2001 with Bridge, the disappointing sales led to a parting of ways with A&M. And here, as sure as death and taxes, is the "greatest hits" album. Blues Traveler didn't really have many hits in the conventional sense; in addition to "Run-Around," only "Hook" made the Top 40, while the band achieved significant airplay with "Conquer Me," a live version of "But Anyway" (the studio version is included here), "Carolina Blues," and "Most Precarious" (the most notable omission here). Compilation producer Mike Ragogna fills up the nearly 80-minute running time with such album tracks as "Mountain Cry," on which Popper duets with Gregg Allman, and "The Mountains Win Again," which features slide guitar work from Warren Haynes. The only rarity is the non-LP B-side "Regarding Steven." Blues Traveler fans may miss personal favorites, but this is a good one-disc summation of the band's A&M catalog. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
But Anyway (Lyrics)	Chan Kinchla, John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:10)
Gina (Lyrics)	Chan Kinchla, John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:03)
Mulling It Over (Lyrics)	Chan Kinchla, John Popper	Blues Traveler	(3:42)
100 Years (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(3:42)
Optimistic Thought (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(3:29)
Sweet Pain (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(7:41)
Mountain Cry (Lyrics)	Brendan Hill	Blues Traveler	(9:07)
Love & Greed	John Popper, Bob Sheehan	Blues Traveler	(4:13)
Conquer Me (Lyrics)	John Popper, Bob Sheehan	Blues Traveler	(5:09)
Run-Around (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:40)
Regarding Steven (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:42)
The Mountains Win Again	Bob Sheehan	Blues Traveler	(5:06)
Crash Burn (Lyrics)	Chan Kinchla, John Popper	Blues Traveler	(2:58)
Hook (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:48)
Carolina Blues (Lyrics)	Chan Kinchla, John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:44)
Canadian Rose (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(4:33)
Just for Me (Lyrics)	John Popper	Blues Traveler	(3:04)

Credits

Gregg Allman (Organ (Hammond)), Gregg Allman (Vocals), Blues Traveler (Producer), Michael Barbiero (Mixing), Bashiri Johnson (Percussion), Joe Blaney (Mixing), Sammy Figueroa (Percussion), Joe Flood (Mandolin), Jim Gaines (Producer), Warren Hayes (Guitar), Brendan Hill (Percussion), Brendan Hill (Drums), Larry Hoppen (Organ), Dennis Keeley (Photography), Chan Kinchla (Guitar (Acoustic)), Chan Kinchla (Guitar), Chan Kinchla (Guitar (Electric)), Chan Kinchla (Guitar (12 String Acoustic)), Arnie Lawrence (Sax (Soprano)), Chuck Leavell (Piano), Chuck Leavell (Keyboards), Jeff Lippay (Engineer), Justin Niebank (Producer), Justin Niebank (Engineer), Justin Niebank (Mixing), John Popper (Harmonica), John Popper (Guitar (Electric)), John Popper (Vocals), John Popper (Whistle (Human)), John Popper (Kalimba), John Popper (Noise), John Popper (Sounds), John Popper (Barking), John Popper (Irish Whistle), John Popper (Guitar (12 String Acoustic)), John Popper (Animal Sounds), Bobby Sheehan (Bass), Bobby Sheehan (Bass (Electric)), Bobby Sheehan (Fretless Bass), Bobby Sheehan (5-string Bass), Steve Thompson (Mixing), Ben Wilson (Piano), Ben Wilson (Keyboards), Joan Osborne (Vocals (Background)), Trina Shoemaker (Engineer), Trina Shoemaker (Mixing), Dave Swanson (Producer), Dave Swanson (Engineer), Vartan (Art Direction), Mike Ragogna (Compilation Producer), Erick Labson (Mastering), Jay Blakesberg (Photography), Barry Korkin (Editorial Assistant), Gene Foster (Engineer), Beth Stempel (Production Coordination), Paul Aresu (Photography), Ryan Null (Photo Research), Michael Fossenkemper (Engineer)

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