Search - Rusted Root :: When I Woke

Suzi H. (Bookmom) from DURHAM, NC
Reviewed on 2/20/2013...

A very good party cd or just for listening alone. My fave songs are Drum Trip/Ecstasy, Cruel Sun, Cat Turned Blue, Laugh as the Sun and Back to the Earth.

Craig B. (Zonker) from RENTON, WA
Reviewed on 6/10/2007...

BMG Club edition

0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Nymphadora T. (nymphadora) from GLENDALE, AZ
Reviewed on 5/27/2007...

Great band from Pennsylvania!

58 minutes of fantastic high energy music

kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 03/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is 58 minutes of well played, manic music. It is similar in style to Dave Matthews, but with higher energy and more reliance on the african influenced percussion. The music is deep, rich, textured but at the same time, bright. There isn't a weak track on this album. Probably the weakest song is the hit Send Me On My Way. (Well, track 11 is an unecessary 2 minute instrumental interlude).Rusted Root formed in 1990 in Pittsburg. They released the album Cruel Sun in 1994 on independent label. That same year, the group got signed to a major label and whipped out When I Woke. It is almost a live studio recording, recorded in a very short period with few overdubs. This works very well with Rusted Root's style of high energy music. The next Rusted Root CD, Remember, wasn't as successful because more time was put into the production, and the sharp edges were rounded off.Another similar band is Poi Dog Pondering from Austin."

Brilliant, beautiful, and criminally underappreciated.

The Wickerman | Austin, TX | 05/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For a long time, I had heard the name Rusted Root mentioned here and there, but never really knew anything about them. Then, a while back, I was talking music with a friend, and he insisted that I really needed to buy this album. So, a few days later, I was at the store, and I saw this album on the shelf, so I figured what the hell, and picked it up.



Wow. I really love finding stuff like this. Albums that have been around for a few years, and somehow have never really gotten the recognition they deserve. Rusted Root's music is simply magical. Largely acoustic, jam-based alternative rock, with scintillating and virtuosic guitar melodies, hypnotic tribal drumming, spellbinding vocals (both male and female) and the occasional flute and harmonica. This band is so much more amazing than I ever could have imagined, and their music is so impossibly joyous and uplifting. Few albums make me feel as good as this album does.



The album opens with "Drum Trip", a 3-minute percussion intro. Right away, the band's tribal/ethnic influences, which are prevalent throughout, are introduced in a big way. That moves smoothly into the blazing and super-catchy "Ecstasy", featuring rapid-fire acoustic leads and Mike Glabicki's distinctive vocal style. "Send Me On My Way", the band's most well-known song, is a bit slower, with a chipper and somewhat hypnotizing melody. "Cruel Sun" is a powerfully atmospheric epic, sounding a bit like a cross between Jethro Tull and the Doors. The female vocals underscoring Mike's really add to the amazing atmosphere.



"Martyr" is quite possibly the most uplifting song I've ever heard, although the very bluegrassy "Rain" isn't too far behind. These songs make me want to go dance in the woods, or something. "Beautiful People" is contrastingly more poignant, a very emotional ballad with some really incredible female lead vocals. "Food & Creative Love" (one of the best song titles ever, hehe) is the only song that features electric guitar, starting with a swaggering bluesy rhythm, finally building into a scorching jam at the end. "Cat Turned Blue" is fun and funky, and "Lost in a Crowd" and "Laugh as the Sun" are slow and peaceful. The album ends with "Back to the Earth". This song delves deepest into the tribal territory, with joyous African chanting, and killer percussion and guitars. It builds up fantastically, and really ends the album with a bang.



I really can't say enough about this album. I want anything and everything this band has made. It's also very important that I one day see them live, preferably in an outdoor venue, although I'd settle for any opportunity to see them. If you love stuff like Blues Traveler and the Dave Matthews Band, and other 90's jam rock bands of the like, this is one more band you should love. In my opinion, they are by far the best I've heard of this genre, so it's really a shame they've never really gotten as much acclaim as their peers.



"When I Woke" is one of the best and most overlooked albums of the 90's. Buy it."