On My Way

Ben Kweller always knew following up his critically acclaimed debut Sha Sha was going to be tricky.

"The old saying goes: You have your whole life to write your first record and you only have a year to write your second," Kweller said. "I don't put much pressure on myself. I just keep writing songs and luckily I was able (to write) 20 songs this past year and I recorded 11 of them. Luckily I got enough songs out of me, thank God." (www.theeagleonline.com)

A little luck, maybe -- but mainly it was just pure talent. Kweller's sophomore release is deliberately retro, its catchy choruses and earnest lyrics recorded and deliberately mastered by Ethan Johns (son of legendary producer Glyn Johns) for a raw, unprocessed sound. "Ethan (Johns) learned everything from his dad," explained Kweller over the phone. "He was basically like, 'I'm gonna set you up the way my father set up the Rolling Stones in '64.'" The result is a spontaneous, unplugged sound that makes On My Way a lively, engaging listen that immediately draws comparison to Blue album-era Weezer, in that Kweller's lyrical charm gives otherwise cheesy emo songwriting a sense of fun and genuine emotive sincerity.

"I Need You Back" heads up On My Way's set list, a punchy hybrid of folk music and garage rock whose quirky neurotic lyrics and bouncy instrumental work make for a delightfully carefree joyride. "Hospital Bed" is like a lost B-side from Sha Sha with mildly medicated, Sgt. Pepper-influenced verses that explode into energetic riffs and catchy piano hooks.

Even in the ballads, Kweller's youthful energy is infectious. His music does a fantastic job of evoking what's young in all of us, sneaking in past the cares and worries of adulthood to awaken memories of simpler times. A song meant to be set to slow motion video, "Living Life" is one of those inescapably nostalgic matriculation ballads meant to be played at graduation parties all across the nation. This is Kweller at the top of his game, mixing poignant piano work with the open simplicity and untempered hope of youth. This formula is carried even further on the album's title track, the gentle, affective ballad, "On My Way." Kweller delivers his most intimate performance of the album, singing alone with his guitar to illustrate a series of melancholic vignettes that lament the unrealized dreams of adulthood.

On My Way is the perfect articulation of Kweller's state of mind. He's growing up fast, and it's a little scary and depressing at times, but nonetheless Kweller's having a blast.

By Isaac Clemens