On a whim I decided to give Ben Watt’s second album a spin.
Some thirty something years since his previous CD with ETBTG giving him enough
time to think up a tune or two and as such this is his second CD of the year.
For those who don’t remember Ben, he was the other one in the group ‘Everything
but the Girl’ along with Tracey Thorn, whose seminal album (on Vinyl) was a
regular player in my youth.
For this album Ben has hauled in Bernard Butler who performs
some excellent guitar work adding light and shade to the tracks and making a
few highlights in the process. Also David Gilmour features on one track.
Ben doesn’t really sing. Well he does, but in a very quiet
fashion reminiscent of Al Stewart (‘Year of the cat’ fame). The title of the
album Hendra is illusive and possibly refers to the hamlets in Cornwall (UK).
What is evident is that each song is well crafted and designed to leave the
listener unsure after the first listen. The album has a chilled out feel with
some excellent songs which depict stories and tales. When I was younger we used to have to listen
to albums to “get into them”. When Sabbath or Floyd released a record we knew
that the first play would only be the spoiler as the real enjoyment would come
after many plays when the intricacies of the music would unfold. Now trying not to sound too hippy, this is
what you need to do with Ben’s album. It is mandatory that you give it three
listens before you pass judgement.
For me it is a breath of fresh air in a rather stale music
scene. An album to be proud of and one that if I were to make an album it would
sound like this.
If you want to challenge yourself to explore something great,
go pick up a copy.
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