On His Way…Still

Perhaps it’s because he got hitched, or simply that he’s a couple more years into his twenties, but whatever the reason, Ben Kweller’s On My Way attempts to shirk the adorable naivety that characterized Sha Sha. The result is a milder, far less showy release where Kweller prods at an elusive maturity. With his adolescent, cracking vocals however, it’s a tough sell, and what you are left with is an album that’s not only less playful than his previous endeavor, but also less fun.
If OMW aims at maturity, then the Texan-turned-New Yorker shoots himself square in the foot at times. On the title track, he relates to his mom the tired line “I’m in love with someone / who’s as pretty as flower.” Pretty as a flower? Though it works in the context of the song’s welcoming simplicity, it doesn’t help to convince you of his adulthood. His efforts aren’t completely lost though. “Living Life” has Kweller confront life’s expectations, pointing out that “The greenest trees you’ll ever see / Are the ones in your mind.”

Though on the whole much tamer than Sha Sha, OMW’s best moments are the rockin’ ones (the exception being the grating “Ann Disaster”) that lend themselves perfectly to Kweller’s voice. The Violent Femmes-inspired “The Rules” is an uncharacteristically aggressive track with some energetic Kweller screaming that leaves you wanting seconds. Unfortunately, these moments are too few, with the final three tracks that drift from memory even before they’re over. Lacking Sha Sha’s charm, and falling short of credible maturity, OMW shows that Kweller remains just that – on his way.