Brendan Benson “Dear Life”
Brendan Benson is a rarity; a veteran power-pop artist still making great music that resonates with mainstream audiences. Even with his stint in the rock band The Raconteurs with Jack White, he’s always touched on the zeitgeist effectively. He’s bent his style to suit current music trends on his opener “I Can If You Want Me To” full of looped samples, dubstep styled beats, and synth effects. But he doesn’t break, and “Good to Be Alive” effectively gets the message out, despite the programmed beats and middle-aged realization “my body’s getting older, but my brain is aging slower.”
Eventually, the guitar hooks find their way to us via “Half a Boy (Half A Man)” a brilliantly arranged single. Next “Richest Man” and “Baby’s Eyes” find Benson coming to terms with the joys of middle age, and both songs are excellent. “Dear Life” and “I Quit” are a lyrically darker, but no less catchy. The apt described “Freak Out” shifts the sound level up a few notches. The album is unpredictable and has enough of “classic” Benson mixed with his more experimental tunes to make it a great listen overall. Highly Recommended.
Librarians with Hickeys “Long Overdue”
Akron Ohio power pop band Librarians With Hickeys start the album with the Velvet Crush-like gem “Until There Was You” full of crunchy jangle and a late ’60s Byrdsian approach to the vocal melody. The band is led by Ray Carmen (vocals, guitar) and Mike Crooker (guitar, vocals), with the addition of Andrew Wilco (bass) and Rob Crossley (drums). Next, “That Time Is Now” builds a wall of harmony with twin Rickenbacker, handclaps, tambourine, and Lisa Mychols(!) backing vocals.
The style shifts a little closer to the early ’80s on “And Then She’s Gone,” and “Next Time” with its reverb chords and brass accents. Fans of REM and Game Theory will flip for “Obsession” and “Poor Reception.” These influences are more pronounced on the album’s second half, but they get down to power pop basics on the catchy “Black Velvet Dress.” Overall a very strong debut that deserves to be heard. Check it out.
Jens Lekman –