After listening to radioioJam for a few days, I realized that one song kept catching my attention. That song was Horses by the John Popper Project.

Horses has a mid-eastern flavor to it in terms of melodic intervals and phrasing from John’s sometimes spooky voice. In general, it’s more processed than your typical organic Blues Traveller song. It’s repetitive without being reptitious, harkening back to his jam-band roots. The drumming is intricate and multi-layered, a joy to listen to exclusively even. John ultimately whips out an electrified harmonica solo, once again proving just how cool he is.

Tangentially…

I place John Popper into that small category of folks who radically change the rules regarding “traditional” instruments. John wails on the harp and never do I imagine cowboys swilling whiskey and watching cattle. The only other person off the top of my head in that category is Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. Ian does crazy and inhuman things with a flute. Crazy, man, simply crazy.

Earlier on the CD is Fire In Her Kiss, which opens with the distinct sounds of DJ Logic, but quickly becomes a nice soulful tune which displays not a little influence by Hendrix.

A few tracks are simply a little too upbeat and sappy, in that Canadian Bare Naked Ladies sort of way.

On other songs, such as Took, Popper almost even sounds like the dude from BNL, while still retaining a non-Canadian funk. What’s with Canadians?

Surprisingly, John is from Ohio, not Canada.

I vote for Skinny John. How about you?

Take a listen

• Horses
• Fire In Her Kiss

(This is my first post to Music Sucks. I hope it lives up to Joe’s high standards, and I thank him for the opportunity to contribute. Rock on, Joe!)