Artist: Ben Kweller
Album: On My Way
Label: ATO Records
Rating:
Reviewer: Zoë Holmes

Ben Kweller was a mere 14 years old when his and Radish signed a major label deal. This fame got them a flurry of media attention, including a ten page story in The New Yorker. Unfortunately for Kweller Radish’s debut album Restraining Bolt flopped. While label-mates Hanson went on to international fame and fortune, Kweller returned to Texas to stew for five years until he released his next album, a mish-mash of Nirvana, Ben Folds, indie rock, and pop music. Sha Sha was the epitome of a good pop-rock album—catchy relentless lyrics and chords in all the right places, and touching piano anthems in all the rest.

It’s been two years since Sha Sha’s underground success blossomed.Kweller is back loaded with new songs and a co-headliner on tour with indie juggernaut Death Cab for Cutie. Fame and fortune—first promised to him at the tender age of fourteen-finally seems within his grasp.

Kweller’s new album On My Way is just what the title suggests—almost there. The sound is in the throes of chaos, due to a live style of recording. The lyrics, meanwhile, have matured greatly since Sha Sha and the maturity tends to suit him. The hooks are still fresh and the songs are as catchy and charming as ever, but there’s something missing in a big way. Gone is the young-blooded attitude from Sha Sha, replaced by moments that seem more forced than before. Tracks such “The Rules” and “Down” lag when Kweller’s unquestionable skill should make them sparkle, and others, like “Ann Disaster,” hover above mediocrity. Too much emphasize seems to be placed on churning guitars and less of Kweller’s true skill in the pop ballad.

The album, however, does have great soaring tracks like “On My Way” and “Hospital Bed” that sound like the old Kweller yet remained new and improved. “On My Way” contains lyrics about love and friendship that ring especially true, giving a sense of recognition to the listener. On “Hospital Bed” Kweller retains more of his Sha Sha style, with a chorus you can’t help but scream along to. It’s moments like those that keep you invested in Kweller’s work even when he falters and strays.

The rest of the album feels a lot like filler. The opening track “I Need You Back” grabs attention—as it rightfully should—but doesn’t really grab any lasting attention. Fortunately, BK’s below average can still be well above other standards. The anomaly of a weak album for the artist, but a strong album in comparison to other acts in common in the music world, but with Kweller is just feels like a disappointment. Instead of being the affable musician that he is, he seems lazy and this mood drags the album down.

All in all On My Way is the record equivalent of a light snack, but Kweller really should be deciding if he wants to be dinner or lunch. And until he makes up his mind his albums will always fall short of the true pop masterpiece he would create.