Little White Lies

Ben Harper’s latest is music to SteveK’s ears

Ben Harper and the Relentless 7: White Lies for Dark Times

Ben Harper has been taking names and kicking musical ass for the better part of twenty years, starting with his demo/debut CD, “Pleasure and Pain”, back in 1992.

Throughout all that time he has consistently delivered some of the most powerful singer-songwriter blues-rock around. Two years after the soulful ‘Lifeline’, Harper is back and better than ever.

‘White Lies for Dark Times’ is one of Ben Harper’s best. The album is chock full of some of the purest blues rock I’ve heard by a musician not involved in Cream, Led Zeppelin, or Lenny Kravitz.

Harper delivers cleverly crafted lyrics with poetic and unexpectedly surprising turns of phrase, merged into thoughtful, entertaining and addictive music. Some of the best lyrical turns of phrase on this album include “Lay There & Hate Me”, and “Keep It Together (So I Can Fall Apart)”. Most of the songs on this album deliver absolute powerhouse rock: complex melodies rife with changes, and raw intensity that is unparalleled. Ben Harper is a giant on this album. There are a couple of softer songs on the album, namely “Skin Thin” and “Fly on Time”, both of which are down-tempo and surprisingly tender compared to the rest of the album.

The one low point for me on the album is “The Word Suicide”, a song which, while attempting to deliver a message, seems to stumble over itself.

This album, however is greater than the sum of its parts, and one so-so track can’t restrain the rest of the album’s ferocity and power. ‘White Lies for Dark Times’ is going to get a lot of play over the summer and into the fall. I’m already looking forward to seeing Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 live, and I’m sure that this album is going to be on many “Best of 2009” lists.

Ben Harper and the Relentless 7: White Lies for Dark Times

Virgin

Steve’s Rating: 9/10