The album opens with “Lone
Wolf,” with Dan Crisp on lead vocals. He, by the way, sings lead on the
majority of the disc’s tracks. “Let me do
the talking/Don’t need another reason/Got to pay them bills.” What I
especially love about this track is the way that the mandolin and banjo are
used. The presence of bluegrass instruments works almost in juxtaposition to
the harder progressive rock sounds, and yet the sounds mix well. The results
are interesting and seriously cool. That’s followed by “Out Of Time,” which has
more of a steady, straight rock sound, with a strong pulse. “We’re always out of time/We always run out
of time/We always run out of time.” In general, however, I prefer the
tracks that have mandolin, such as “I’m On My Way.” I found myself singing
along with the title line of this one before the end. And check out these
lines: “Could tomorrow bring a better
day/Fill my pocket and my soul/A stubborn streak/Deep down inside/Keeps me on
my feet/And off my knees.” This track also boasts some good work on
electric guitar.
Josiah J joins the group on
organ for “Roads Less Travelled,” the album’s title track. The phrase “road less
traveled,” of course, comes from the final lines of Robert Frost’s famous poem,
“The Road Not Taken”: “Two roads diverged
in a wood, and I—/I took the one less traveled by,/And that has made all the
difference.” And in this song, Dan Crisp sings of finding “a new way forward” and taking “no shortcuts.” But the line that stands
out for me is “Break down the walls I
helped build so high.” Becca Langsford then takes lead vocal duties on
“Badcore Blues,” a delicious bluesy song with soul, one of my personal favorite
tracks. I love Martin Barre’s work on acoustic guitar here. That’s followed by “Seattle,”
which is something of a love letter to that city, with references to Jimi
Hendrix and to the rain. I always enjoyed myself in Seattle, even though my van
would break down every time I drove there (seriously, every time). Josiah J
joins the band again on “For No Man,” this time on percussion as well as organ.
“Put your head on my shoulder/We can
dream ‘til the sun shines on us/I believe in my heart we can change everything.”
“(This Is) My Driving Song” comes
on heavy, but this track is another that finds Martin Barre playing mandolin as
well as guitar. And, as is probably clear from its title, it is a song I’ll be
adding to my road trip play list. It is about the pleasure of driving with
music playing. “I’ve got no map or fancy
phone/Just a dream that’s in my head/Got no need for company/The music feeds my
every need/This is my driving song/My symphony.” I did one solo
cross-country trip, and music was definitely my company. That’s followed by “You
Are An Angel,” with Alex Hart taking lead vocal duties. This song has a
mellower, sweeter vibe, and her vocal delivery has a bit of a jazzy feel.
Buster Cottam plays double bass on this track. Then we get the album’s sole
instrumental tune, “Trinity,” which is another of my favorite tracks. It has
something of a light, positive vibe, and changes direction halfway through,
after the briefest of pauses. Martin Barre plays all instruments on this track.
The disc concludes with another of its highlights, “And The Band Played Only
For Me,” sung by Becca Langsford. I love her vocal delivery, particularly on
lines like “My memories are gathering
dust” and “Times have changed, but
the bands still play/And the ghosts of the dancers perform.” Josiah J once
again joins in on organ. I really dig the jam partway through.
CD Track List
- Lone Wolf
- Out Of Time
- I’m On My Way
- Roads Less Travelled
- Badcore Blues
- Seattle
- For No Man
- (This Is) My Driving Song
- You Are An Angel
- Trinity
- And The Band Played Only For Me
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