 | For People Who Like: Bright Eyes, Cub Country, Fountains of Wayne songs that aren't singles Genre: Alt Country Best 3 Songs: 1. "Old Hat" 2. "Hurtin' You" 3. "On Her Own" Worst 3 Songs: 1. "Things I Like to Do" 2. "Fight" 3. "Wantin' Her Again" Overall Grade: C+ |
Guess who got a steel guitar for Christmas this year and wants to share it with everyone: Ben Kweller, that's who. One of my friends has referred to Ben Kweller as Weezer without the suck. This is a completely different Kweller, though. It's his shot at a country album. I like B.K., but I have to say, don't quit your day job. At least it is still better than Weezer.
The first thing any decent album needs is a good first song, which Kweller doesn't deliver. "Gypsy Rose" is almost a complete throwaway. I almost have forgotten the song while I am listening to it. It is also the strangest song on the album and the least Kweller-like. His vocals generally sound like himself throughout most of the songs, but not in "Gypsy Rose." It really alienates Kweller fans (like myself) who have picked up the album. Ben may be trying to recruit some new fans, but he will ultimately fail because he just doesn't do country well enough to recruit people who actually like country (like not myself).
It seems like so much of the time that the songs use steel guitar to no purpose whatsoever. I believe that all but two songs make use of a steel guitar. It often even detracts from some songs, especially "Sawdust Man," which would be a better song without steel guitar altogether. Many of the lyrics come off as cliche country and bluegrass lyrics. I would write it off to satire, but I don't understand why the whole album isn't satirical in that case. In "Fight" Kweller talks over the guitar solo with cliches, and I really do believe it to be mocking of country and bluegrass music, because I almost laugh out loud when I hear that part. I am not sure any of it is intended as satire, but it often comes off that way.
Lyrically, the album really struggles to find Kweller's normal audience and is really kind of all over the place. The worst song lyrically is "Things I Like to Do," but is closely followed by "Fight," which actually contains a positive message to "Fight 'til your dying day," but I somehow think that Kweller's audience will have trouble relating to a trucker, which is what the song is about.
Because of the similar instrumentation in so many of the songs, they start to blend into each other, taking special not of "Wantin' Her Again" running immediately into "Things I Like to Do." Neither song should have ever been recorded, but, Ben, couldn't you have at least spared us from hearing one of those?
The album isn't all bad though. Generally, the ballads are decent to good and when the song features piano (with or without steel guitar), the song turns out better. The songs are all interesting to hear Kweller singing them, because it is a strange combination because he still sounds like himself most of the time.
"Old Hat" is probably my favorite song on the album. It is the most Kweller-like, and while it maintains a country tinge, I don't think it would be that out of place on a normal B.K. album. The song is good lyrically, though referring to oneself as an "old hat" to put on a girl's "pretty head" is odd for B.K. This song is probably my favorite because it is the perfect combination of piano and steel guitar. The steel guitar solo in the bridge is actually really atypical, and that makes it interesting.
My other two favorites are "Hurtin' You" and "On Her Own." In "Hurtin' You," I can really relate to the subject of helplessness that the lyrics portray. I also really enjoy the vocals in the bridge-- when Ben hits those high notes, he just gets a lot more raw. Once again, this is a slower piano song, so it must be better. "On Her Own" is empowering to women, and I have a special respect for a male artist that conveys this message-- that a woman can do it on her own. The harmonies in the chorus are really not typical for the song, and definitely add a little something, and guess what? This song once again features the piano.
I will make honorable mention of one other song: "Homeward Bound." The song is very hymn-like and could in the future usurp one of my current top three. And this song is the best choice for the last song on the album, so I have to complement the album organization there.
Overall the album lacks flow and just comes off a little strange. It will probably be an album that I have to skip around on, which means I will listen to it on the mp3 player and not a lot in the car, but generally, I hate albums that I have to skip songs on, so it will most likely get only a moderate amount of listening. I look forward to Ben's next real album. I am thinking this was a one-time experiment and B.K. with be back with some great pop-rock in the future. To all Kweller fans: you can probably skip out on this one.
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