Hold the front page folks! It's the weekend. The sun, albeit a sickly one, has risen in the Newcastle heavens and I'm giving the latest Benjamin Booker album LOWER a second listen. It's an occasionally bleak but consistent and compelling record.
This is something of a comeback I imagine. Booker made a splash of some kind in Indie circles some time back. But as far as I can tcan tell, this is his first studio album since 2017. That's almost ten years and that's a long time in the world we inhabit now. The world seemed a relatively rational. place in 2017.
LOWER reflects a slightly darker mood than I remember from Booker previously. Also more eclectic, playful and deft in terms of genre. This is not purely Blues. It flirts restlessly with Trip Hop. Garage. Soul, The man says that he's spent his hiatus working on a new identity. Its realised here. This is a record that deserves to be listened to.
Literate,evocative song titles. Black Opps, LWA in the Trailer Park, Pompiei Statues, Slow Dance in a Gay Bar, Speaking With The Dead. .An indistinct but resiliant new identity and sound for the new year and the new American hinterland. This is a terrific record. I hope it's noticed.
Well, that was excellent! Really enjoyed it. Wouldn't have come across it without you, so thanks Bruce! I do like to be dragged out of my indie ghetto sometimes. This was perfect.
ReplyDeleteIt is. Really excellent album. And so is The Lavenda Flu one you recommended. Just fantastic ! 2025. Up and running ,
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