Whats on your turntable tonight?

Ben Harper
Winter is for Lovers

James,

How do you like Ben's latest? I have interest in it.

Hey Steve, it’s solo guitar (only) with maybe some very sparsely applied electronic or microphonic  effects - not certain. Sounds good. I’d say it’s very different from his more popular stuff but easy to listen to. Kinda nice on a Sunday morning.  I suppose one could either apply it to our type of focused listening or make it background for reading. Don’t know if you like solo instrumental records. It’s something I’ve loved for a long time but have had very few friends who like that kind of thing. In my collection I keep a whole shelf of solo piano and a whole shelf of solo guitar. Both in a wide range of genres. I guess I’m pretty strange in this way.

Anyway, more about the music on the record.  It’s good but he doesn’t really show off his skills the way I’ve heard him.  It doesn’t rock.  It’s more interesting in a musicologist way I think.   I think he’s trying to evoke certain directions in thought and emotions and memories maybe.   It sounds like things you almost know.  I think he’s a really good player, I’ve said before how underrated his lead playing is.  From this I think maybe he’s more of an intellectual than he’s let on to in the past.   Or maybe he has in the past and I missed it.  I miss a lot.   

Thanks James