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Elly Roberts reviews
Columbia Records
- Released: September 2006
- Rating: 6/10
Third album from 25 year old American singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Ben Kweller,former member of failed Grunge rockers Radish, where he was vocalist-guitarist.This eponymous album was recorded in New York and mixed in London.
Geeky Kweller, looking ten years younger, has been blessed with someimpressive folks around him in his formative years his dad was a friend ofBruce Springsteen guitarist Nils Lofgren.
From an early age he emulated Lofgren, progressing to piano, writing his owntunes. He also dabbled with drums. In 2003 he collaborated with Aussie musicalstablemate Ben Lee (Awake Is The New Sleep) and Yank Ben Folds on aseries of dates in Australia. He also appeared on Folds limited edition EPThe Bens.
With his gentle freewheeling style, Kweller has possibly hit the button thatbrought success for Daniel Powter last year, with Bad Day. Ultimately,its success will depend on a Later.. with Jools Holland or a BBCRadio 2 playlisting.
As sweet as voice is, and the highly accessible music, it does lack a killertrack, though I Dont Know Why might get some attention, with is catchyhooks and melody.
The solemn piano work of Sundress eventually springs into life with happy-go luckyuplifting touches, and Beach Boys harmonies, possibly making a good editedsingle. Piano led ballad Thirteen has a flavour of old-school Neil Young aboutit, principally via the harmonica break. Jaunty Penny rustles things up amidthe mellower moments, complete with thrusting chorus and hook, where hestretches his vocal range. Elsewhere, I Dont Know Why is clearlyinfluenced by Ben Lees acoustic outings. Until I Die sees him singinghis sweetest moments a song of lost love and regret.
Overall the music is very adult orientated even if some of the lyrics are atad immature.
Weblinks:benkweller.come /columbia.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Run
2. Nothing Happening
3. Sundress
4. I Gotta Move
5. Thirteen
6. Penny On The Train Track
7. I Dont Know Why
8. Magic
9. Red Eye
10. Until I Die
11. This War
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.