Lacking the beguiling, subtle charms of Beck and falling short of the dustbowl Americana of Ryan Adams, Ben Kweller's laid-back Brooklyn swagger looks like falling on deaf ears.
Mostly recorded live with the aim of producing a Sixties-style garage sound, his second long-player proves to be less difficult... more drab. More than 40 minutes and ten tracks drag by before a memorable hook snares the senses - Hear Me Out's Monkees bounce lightening the mood considerably.
But that's not really enough from a young tunesmith, hyped to the hills in some quarters as the pint-sized, problem-free Evan Dando on the back of an intriguing debut.
Kweller is depicted on the front of the album surrounded by a pack of wolves - and run-of-the-mill songwriting such as this puts him in the same league as the Molineux Premiership howlers. Like the fast-food chain he shares initials with, On My Way promises instant satisfaction but, ultimately, leaves you feeling unfulfilled and craving more substantial pop fare.
Updated: 09:29 Thursday, April 29, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article