Perhaps you'd also want to pop out and purchase tickets to Dar's upcoming show on Oct. 1 at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. And not only might the tickets be selling out soon, but if her entourage keeps growing, in just a short while you won't be able to see her perform in any place smaller than the Metrodome. That said, not much about the album changes, either. That even tempo never turns into anything markedly faster or slower. The fragile feel of the songs, especially in the vocals, does not change, which may elicit feelings of boredom, frustration and sometimes pure anger in some listeners.
Nothing feels overly polished or slick here.
This album will either serve to calm or inflame, depending on your taste for mid-tempo countrified ballads. Individuals who are looking for a techno remix, an energizing guitar solo, or even a dose of sheer, unabashed happiness will not find it on Excuses for Travelers. Those seeking a good album for a rainy day spent driving nowhere in particular will appreciate the steadiness of its bittersweet mood, which barely lightens itself in time for the last track. Enjoy a good hearty cry, if you wish, and then move on. Maybe to another album.