Ben Kweller’s self-titled album came out yesterday and I couldn’t be happier with it. I’m in love with about half the album, and the rest is still pretty nice. Here’s one of the better tracks.
MP3: Ben Kweller - Penny On the Train Track
Well this is surprising. Ben Kweller, aged only twenty-five, has just released a song that’s more introspective and broad in scope that any of his elders have in years. I’m going to liken it to Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits just because it’s got that wandering, wondering soul-type feel to it. While definitely a “kid” when compared to those icons, it’s refreshing to hear someone with such a young voice reflect on their own life through meetings with old high school classmates and cross-country journeys. It’s like a “quarter-life-crisis,” but without the self-indulgent label.
It’s funny how many superficial judgements you can make about the new Ben Kweller album before you’re wrong. The cover is plain, much like Sha Sha, his debut album. Similarly, Ben’s dropped the the ‘tude of On My Way (whose record cover pictured him in the wilderness among wolves–make your own judgement) and is back to being the delightful younger brother of the pop-rock world. Continuing the trend of unwarranted prejudgements, his track titles seem to imply that this record centers around Kweller’s desire to keep in motion. Bingo, again. From the opener, “Run” to “Penny on the Train Track,” one of the album’s stars, Ben shows us that he’s at his best when he’s in transit. If this is the result, let’s hope he never slows down.
Just a reminder that Of Montreal is playing a free show this Friday at the University of Kentucky! Check WRFL881.org for details, or email me at matt @ youaintnopicasso.com Also, if you attend UK, feel free to say hello to me at the listening booth WRFL will have set up outside the classroom building. Rock!
