Rusted Root: Welcome to My Party

At a time when most teens were washing down their angst with copious amounts of grunge, the neo-hippie optimism of bands like Rusted Root was laying the foundation for the swing of jam rock into the forefront of mainstream music. Once the sacred territory of aging baby boomers that at its height in the late 1980s was a strange mix of scraggly, ex-campus radicals and radically-straight white collar Joes, the jamband scene found a new sense of youth behind the efforts of this next generation of instrumental experimentalists.

After Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995, scores of names were bandied about as the heir apparent to the Dead’s legacy — including Rusted Root — but in the end that honor and curse would belong to Phish. Since then, Rusted Root (and their mid-1990s contemporaries like the Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler) have struggled to hang on to the vast audiences that once packed large outdoor amphitheatres and fueled summer-long festival tours.

Fighting the damning moniker of “one hit wonder”, Rusted Root has steadily stayed the course since their platinum 1994 release When I Woke, which was fueled by the success of their infectiously poppy and radio-friendly hit “Send Me on My Way”. Their latest release, Welcome to My Party offers evidence that the band has continued to evolve, incorporating some newer influences like hip-hop into the rhythmic mix. While the result is occasionally engaging, it represents a drastic departure from the exotic world beat feel that attracted their core fans in the first place.

Opening with the suspiciously “phishy” track “Union 7”, a moody morass of funk wah-wah guitars and thumping funkstick bass lines, the group slips gears into the gentle acoustic pop intro of the disc’s title track before taking a heavy turn with “Women Got My Money”. Hitting a funky stride with the urban-outfitted runway swerve of “Weave”, a clean nod to Root’s roots doesn’t happen until backing vocalist Liz Berlin’s sole songwriting contribution “Too Much”. Meanwhile the few other recognizable remnants of Rusted Root’s earlier days and style, the percussion-laden top down cruiser “Artificial Winter” and the heavy ballad pleading of “Why Cry”, are disposable additions.

But if you dig deep enough there are a few gems to be found here, including the Middle Eastern-colored Michael Glabicki/Jenn Wertz duet “Blue Diamonds” and the surprisingly convincing trance/dance/electronica groove of “People of My Village”. Once again, the band’s core strength is found at it’s heart with drummer/percussionist Jim Donovan, bassist Patrick Norman and guitarist John Buynak, a trio that make even the most forgettable set of lyrics seemed divinely inspired.

While their latest outing isn’t poised to break the bank or propel Rusted Root back into the spotlight (or even back on the radio) the Pittsburgh sextet offers little sign of relenting thanks to the near fanatical support and optimism of the band’s label, Island, and a core of loyal fans. With fiery percussion-fueled instrumentals and the strong presence of the band’s vocalists, Rusted Root’s live shows continue to move and groove faithful audiences by offering solid sets that refuse to rely on the draw of mere nostalgia.