Spin Doctors: If The River Was Whiskey

8.7

Spin Doctors may be the most misunderstood band of the '90s. They had worldwide fame for their "Pocket Full of Kryptonite" album, and the inevitable backlash that comes with it. Their newest is a collection of original blues songs, not an easy task to create with such authenticity and sincerity. This is the band in their natural habitat. Covering various styles of the blues to boot, the band shows their musical prowess they are infamous for in their live shows and to die hard fans. I always thought of them as the east-coast answer to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a zany funk rock band with virtuosic instrument skills. Now they are storming the blues charts, hitting the #1 spot on some. What else would they do in this stage of their career? They've written top 40 pop songs, out-jammed the best of the jam bands. I think this turn was a wise decision, and obviously a well received one being that it's critically acclaimed now. Just goes to show, perseverance goes a long way in this business, and going against the grain can be rewarding in unusual ways.