Ben Kweller

Night & Day, Manchester on Sun 3rd Sep 2006

In an industry where we have an overload of male soloists and their guitars, we have to ask is there any room or interest for more? Do we need more bland vocals and monotonous guitar chords? I would like to argue that there is room for one more. One who beats the others hands down. This man is Ben Kweller. Neither bland, nor dull. Although, credit due, he does resemble James Blunt in that short and shaggy haired way.

Kweller has been absent from the UK for a while, working on his new self titled album after the success of his first release “Ben Kweller – Sha Sha.” Sha Sha was undoubtedly a brilliant album. Short but sweet, it was an easy listen that you didn’t have to think about or over analyse and was the perfect CD to play on a summers day with friends.

On his last visit to Manchester, Kweller played the academy and yet on this night, he chose the Night and Day as his venue, a significant step down but perhaps a chance to see his true fan following, and to deliver a sneak preview of the tracks from his forth coming release.

Opening with the first track off this new release, “Run” is a happy melody of a song and a great introduction into what Kweller is about. His soft vocals have a certain drawl yet on track such as “Sha-Sha” and “Falling” there is a distinct power leering beneath those vocal chords.

A mixture of both albums were played, a pleasant surprise that kept the crowd eagerly anticipating the next song. Not only talented on the guitar, Kweller proves himself to be quite the man on the piano, as shown on new track “13”, yet sadly no “In Other Words”. Arguably one of his best songs and no showing proved a little disappointment, for a track that would have held brilliantly in such a small venue.

Ben Kweller is fun. His lyrics are sometimes warped and his songs can either bring you up or bring you down. There is a track for everyone, a few favourites being that of “Lizzy” and “Wasted and Ready.”

With the new album release in a week and a future tour sometime in November, Ben Kweller is the album you want to pick up for reliving those summer moments.

article by: Kat Robinson

published: 06/09/2006 09:08



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