Ben Harper
Welcome To The Cruel World
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Ben Harper
Welcome To The Cruel World
Virgin, 1992
RiYL: Dave Matthews Band, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix |
Not as flashy or distorted as his approach on Fight For Your Mind, Harper's guitar is still a refreshing sound -- something less like Hendrix and closer to Lightnin' Hopkins. The slip-sliding solo of "Breaking Down" is simply fantastic, and the undulating rhythm work on "Welcome To The Cruel World," where Harper's voice projects a sweet lullaby, is understated and refined.
More than his subsequent albums, Cruel World serves as a platform for Harper's amazing voice. On the slow acoustic song "Walk Away," his crisp tones flow effortlessly over simple finger picking. Harper bares his soul in trills, letting his voice wobble softly in a beautiful falsetto. "Waiting On An Angel" is a similar song (almost too familiar), but the thick emotion is still undeniably alluring.
And his brilliant, laconic lyrics are displayed on more than one song. The album's best track, "Forever," reveals the pain created from a lover's broken promise in the simple stanzas. "Forever always seems to be around when things begin," he sings in the refrain. "But forever never seems to be around when it ends."
The gospel-choir sounding "I'll Rise" closes the album, a refreshing song and a mild disappointment all the same. It's nice to see he's got the guts to try to rejuvenate the entire black diaspora. But the song just doesn't fit. Harper is still trying to figure out the most interesting way to express his religious beliefs and he comes up a little dry here.
The album on the whole is a success nonetheless because it gives us our first glimpse at a talented young songwriter truly in love with songwriting -- a nice find indeed.
From the instrumental simplicity of "The Three Of Us" to the overly serious mandates of "Don't Take That Attitude To Your Grave" and sad honesty of "Forever," Ben Harper reveals his enduring convictions and sucks us into his "cruel world," which is far more enjoyable than it sounds.
BEN FRENCH | Ben founded NATN in the winter of 1998-1999 with fellow IU alums Troy Carpenter and Jonathan Cohen. During the day time, he's working for Nielsen Business Media, publisher of Billboard. Ben's favorite acts include Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Sonic Youth, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys.