Ben G. Stories I Tell
by Alex Barbieri
Staff Writer
For those of you who are not a 20-something female living in London, Ontario, Canada, you probably have never heard of singer-songwriter Ben G. (surname not revealed). At just 21-years-old, G. won “Rock Artist of The Year” at the 2008 London Music Awards and Fan Favorite at the 2008 Jack Richardson Music Awards for his last album, Cut You In. Now, the Canadian cutie is back for his sophomore year with Stories I Tell.
Stories I Tell was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Dave Thompson at Digital Underdog in Canada. The multi-instrumentalist Thompson also played guitars, drums, bass and did programming for the album. To help pay for it, Ben G. received a rare $15,000 recording budget from FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recordings). He also landed a national distribution with CDPlus, which will give fans of John Mayer and the Goo Goo Dolls a better chance of checking out Ben G.’s music.
Ben G. plays pop music in the best sense of the word. Not overly contrived or computerized, his warm, rich voice soothingly coats organic, strummy guitar rhythms. (The opening “aahhs” of “Getaway” — the first single and video — are pure pop ear candy.) He sings from the heart about love: falling in love, being in love, unrequited love, wanting to get away with a loved one, healing from love gone bad, etc. His lyrics are relatable — like romantic therapy — and for his honesty and openness, there is no doubt that Ben G. gets laid on a regular basis.
On “Light My Way,” Ben G. really finds his feet with a more confident vocal delivery and fuller production than some of the other songs. “Morning Song” is “Sunday morning music,” perfect in the background as you read the paper in bed or make brunch. On “Call You In,” G.’s ‘80s melodic sensibility belies his young age. You can hear Rick Springfield catchiness and Cure-like melancholy throughout. But “South (Where It’s Warm)” is the uplifting highlight of the album. Ben G. asks repeatedly, “Are we going south / where it’s warm?” Based on the addictive appeal of the song, the answer is a resounding yes! The break in the last third of the song is a little awkward, and would have benefitted more from keeping the tempo and adding an inspired guitar solo. Still, “South” is a hit single waiting to happen.
It’s not surprising Ben G. has an army of Canadian coquettes ready to scream his name. (See the YouTube video titled “Ben G. leaving the stage.”) Thankfully, Ben G. is not just another pretty face being fast tracked through the music mill. On Stories I Tell, Ben G. backs up his popularity with authentic emotion and songwriting skill. Some of the songs are a tad too syrupy sweet at times, and Ben G. may want to expand his audience with a little more testosterone. (Notice Johnny Rzeznik’s cross-over male/female appeal.) But overall, Stories I Tell is an enjoyable pop rock album. Thank you, Ben G., for your gift of music. Maybe the “G.” stands for gift?
Listen to and download “Getaway” on itunes.
Watch the new video for “Getaway.”
Genre: Pop/Rock
Band:
Ben G. – Vocals, Guitars
Dave Thompson – Guitars, Bass, Drums, Programming
Track Listing:
1. Getaway
2. Circles
3. Shine
4. Light My Way
5. Morning Song
6. Addiction
7. Cut You In
8. South (Where It’s Warm)
9. Live Through This
Label: Independent
Online:
http://beng.site11.com/Copyofhome.html
http://www.myspace.com/bengmusic
http://www.facebook.com/bengmusic
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10