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Ben Howard - These Waters

7/14/2009

I discovered Ben Howard when he was opening for Brett Dennen during his European tour. And that night, which was a very special night anyway, however short Ben Howard’s performance may have been, he proved to be the discovery of the year for me.

Afterwards I bought a copy of “These Waters” to explore what else this guy is capable of. And what I found was an interesting collection of acoustic songs in which Howard’s vocals are shining and his excellent guitar playing is a thing of beauty.

All the songs are worth mentioning but the two stand out tracks are London and These Waters. The way Ben Howard utilizes maximum potential of his guitar and sings with flawless vocals gives the songs something extra in both rhythmic and melodic quality.

The EP starts with The Wolves, which is more uptempo and the most impressive feat of this song is the timing. The sentiment in Cloud Nine is very impressive and it was probably my favorite song during his short live set that I saw. Excellent use of the guitar! The harmonic and melodic play that goes on in London is wonderful and with a lot of feeling Howard brings his strong lyrics to life. The combination of the use of his guitar, the strong introspective lyrics and comforting yet powerful vocals make for a gem of a song that really is the crown on this EP. The more folky Move Like You Want is faster paced and the breathy, almost seasoned sounding vocals give the song a lot of character. The EP ends with a bonus song called The Fire, which has a very demo-y feel to it. The raw and personal feel to it actually adds to the song instead of taking away from it.

So all in all this is a very impressive and complete EP, especially for a young musician like Ben Howard. I am very curious to hear what lies ahead for this talented and interesting musician.

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Bleu - A Watched Pot

7/14/2009

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A Watched Pot
Bleu
July 14, 2009
Artist Garage

Bleu is an alternative musician from the Boston area. He’s been doing some incredible work for quite awhile and is a recognized force in the indie scene. He’s worked with a lot of accomplished acts (Hanson, Dan Wilson, Jonas Brothers, etc.) and has received good critiques about his own work. “A Watched Pot” marks his 5th (6th if you count the Redhead Re-release) in 10 years. And while people might debate on if this is his best album to date, there can not really be any doubt that it is Bleu’s most consistent album to date. And to me, it’s also my favorite.

The opening track Save Me has a very cool modern rock feel to it and the whole arrangement sounds pretty exciting. Bleu had a hand in the production for the album, and as usual the songwriters know what to do with their work. Cause the production and mixing was done very tastefully.

The intro of Come ‘N Go eases you into a very ambitious piece of art. I guess I’ve always seen Bleu as an artist rather as a musician per se. And the way the different parts of the song interact with each other I can only say that this perception is affirmed for me. Highly impressive.

While I actually do believe in a thing called love, the song No Such Thing As Love has a 60s like quality to it. Or actually 60s/70s as it combines the harmonies that were popular in the times of the Beatles and the balladeerism (is that even a word, well, it is now) of the 70s folk singers. Those two periods happen to be where my musical roots lie, so how can I not like this song? It’s just damn good.

Boy Meets Girl is not the most imaginative title, and the story of the song is quite simple too. But the song’s just so damn catchy. Perfect radio single and while it might not be Bleu’s best track on this album it sure is one of the most fun tracks on “A Watched Pot”.

I was caught off guard by the intro, and the enthusiasm of the rock & roll in Kiss Me. Not what I expected, but I sure love it. Get those shoes dusted off and lets get back on the dance floor. Rock & roll is here to stay. If I may, please release this as a radio single because there’s no way anyone is going to resist this one.

Despite of some explicit language, I Won’t Fuck You Over (This Time) is a pretty gentle, bluesy track. The contrast is interesting and combines times past with times of present, musically. I can hear some Gary Moore/Commodores-era pop/blues in the song but yet the song sounds very modern. Bleu gets a chance to show off his excellent vocal skills in this impressive song.

When The Lights Go Out is my favorite song on the album. It has a very indie feel to it, and the combination with Sandra McCracken’s voice is absolutely perfect. The song just hit me right off the bat and I felt touched. Not sure how or why, but there’s something about the song that just makes me feel it. And to me, THAT is music.

The acoustic-based What Now has a very stripped, almost demo-like feel to it. This also makes it very personal, very intimate, almost like it’s performed just for you. It’s a very nice addition to the album, but it would’ve also served well as a bonus track.

This song is one that Bleu penned with Hanson for their latest album “The Walk”. He re-recorded his own version for his own album, and frankly, Bleu makes the song come to life much more than Hanson does. This version is so much more intense and really taps into the epic sound that the song deserves.

One Day isn’t one of my favorite tracks on the album but I do have to say that lyrically it might be one of the best songs on the album. Also Bleu’s vocal performance is stellar. I just didn’t get the same connection with this song.

What Kinda Man again has a softer, bluesier sound. At first this was the only track on the album I didn’t care for too much, but it’s starting to grow on me. The introspective lyrics and subtle arrangement are slowly drawing me in, and everytime I listen to What Kinda Man Am I the song gets a little more interesting.

The album ends with the pretty The Penguin Song. There is something Beatlesque in it but yet it’s also quite different. Normally I’m not too big on songs that I’m not quite sure what to think of, but in this case that might be the song’s strength. Because it makes it an imaginitive song that can take you in all sorts of directions.

I know I’ve been extremely positive for most of the review and I realize it’s a pretty personal view I talk about. But it means something that this record has the ability to envoke emotions and strong enthusiasm. So Bleu must be doing something right. And I’m not the only one hearing it as many people seem to appreciate his particular skills. It’s therefore that I can say with conviction that Bleu has delivered another testimony of his impressive musicality.

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Bascom Hill - Inevitable

7/8/2009

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Bascom Hill is a band I’ve been following around since late 2006. They debuted with their album “Maybe” in 2005 and the smooth mainstream pop/rock sound they displayed was of a very high level already. I remember feeling impressed with how natural it sounded. They have a sound similar to Vertical Horizon, The Fray, John Mayer, Lifehouse, and other contemporaries, but I would especially refer to Vertical Horizon, because Bascom Hill showcases that same sound that has the roots in the songwriting but still comes together as a band sound.

On “Inevitable”, the band showcases that mix of pop and rock influences again. The production of the album is very well done and the songs come out in a way that mainstream radio can only embrace them. Catchy, uptempo singalongs with relatable lyrics. With a bit of luck this could very well be the band’s break out album.

Starting with the very catchy Go On which has that alternative pop feel reminiscent of Vertical Horizon on “Everything You Want”, the album is off to a very good start. With energy and passionate vocals this song has the right inensity to shine on the radio. Bascom Hill continues with another catchy pop/rock song called Between Poses. The song has the radio-friendliness of a The Fray song and the vocals are from a very high quality. If you aren’t singing along to the chorus after two listens I think you’re doing something wrong.

Then on to one of my favorites. My World is another song that needs to be heard on radio. It was actually the first song off “Inevitable” I heard and I was instantly convinced of its potential. Very catchy and the chorus, once again, is money in the bank. On Ever Wish, the band takes down the pace and that results in a beautiful acoustic, mid-tempo ballad. The lyrics speak to you, because of the universally recognizable message in them and the combination of the ‘smaller sound’ of the song and the soothing vocals give this song just the right character. The band sticks to an (semi-)acoustic sounds on Hello, but they combine it with the uptempo catchiness from the previous songs. A very laid-back, yet energetic (interesting, right?) track and when Charlie Victor sings “you had already walked away..” I can just feel what he’s singing.

On Mystified, Bascom Hill shows a more gritty, rock & roll sound and the added energy and power doesn’t take away anything from the song. Just like on their debut CD, the band shows that they know how to balance between a more poppy and a more alternative sound. Good placement of the song too! A more soulful, soothing sound is shown on Ivy, which is a song that grows on you. The arrangement is actually very strong and with every listen I start to like it a little bit more.

Everytime I listen to For You, I just get silent and let the music take over. The subtle instruments, the touching vocals and the impressive build up of this song are excellent. I like how the acoustic guitar and the piano bring out the mood of this song with near perfection. It may not be the jumpy, uptempo radio single, but musically this is quite impressive. My initial thoughts were that Prettiest Girl isn’t the most memorable track on the album. It doesn’t hold a lot of tension or excitement in the arrangement and while musically and vocally it is performed perfectly and the song is very soothing, it has more of a bonus track feel to it than an actual album track.

Then back to one of my favorites. Save Me is another radio single candidate if you ask me. The pointy, uptempo song has a modern rock & roll feel and is an instant foot tapper. It’s quite danceable and has a killer chorus. Good hooks and outstanding musical delivery. One of the very best songs on the album. The title track, Inevitable, is a very cool rock & roll track with a very good beat to it. Mix it, press it onto a CDS and release it to radio and both pop & rock fans should both start to request this on their local stations.

We then get to the interesting album closer. Where’d You Go has a little bit of an americana/blues feel to it, especially in the intro and in the vocal vibe. It is slightly (just slightly) reminiscent of a John Mayer-esque song. It is quite different from the rest of the album, and the demo feel of the song really works. It’s like a dessert after the main course. And it tastes very well!

Bascom Hill makes music that falls into the most crowded genre of music possible. So a lot of critics might say it sounds like this or that, say it is nothing we haven’t heard before, etc. etc. I tend to disagree. Yes, there are similarities with other bands, I named a few myself. But Bascom Hill manages to display a sound of their own, and they bring quality, intensity and enthusiasm to the table. They show they have what it takes to make it. “Inevitable” is a record that shows diversity within the genre and shows that the band can easily pull off that variety. There is a high level of songwriting, convincing and believable delivery of the songs and an overall class that makes them not only noticeable but also ranks them among the top acts in their genre.

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Ben Howard - These Waters

Bleu - A Watched Pot

Bascom Hill - Inevitable

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