Leftover Salmon: O Cracker, Where Art Thou? : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Just when you think you can guess what's coming from Cracker, frontman David Lowery sprints off in a different direction. This ten-song collection gives Cracker hits (if there ever were such a thing) new life as bluegrass-colored aural trinkets. This down-homey musical feel does nothing to take away from Cracker's alt-rock cred, since Lowery, Johnny Hickman and Leftover Salmon -- a jam-inflected folk rock outfit who provide the musical beds for this release -- make it all work without sounding overly cheeky. Where "Eurotrash Girl" and "Sweet Potato" sound like they were written for this type of approach, "Get Off This" loses a bit of its energy and hook. "Low" and "Teen Angst," perhaps Cracker's two best-known songs, diverge the most from their originals. It may just be what the world needs now.

DAVID JOHN FARINELLA
(May 5, 2003)