Brendan Benson - What Kind Of World

This album is apparently self-financed so I assume from that that means no record label currently has faith in Brendan Benson’s marketability. Personally I quite liked his 2002 solo effort (Lapalco), the first Raconteurs album hit the spot and the first single (I think), ‘Spit It Out’, from 2006’s The Alternative To Love was good but to date the best thing I think he’s been involved with was Mood Elevator’s Listen Up! from over a decade ago. I’ve not therefore been losing sleep over his lack of visibility in my musical life of late.

This new release’s title track kicks proceedings off well enough in a reasonably upbeat and lightweight rock style. Indie rock I suppose. The sound you’d expect from him anyway, whatever you want to call it. Track 3 (‘Light Of Day’) picks the pace up and really chugs along nicely. One for that one day of the British summer when you can safely get the soft top down (so you should have been listening at the start of March probably). ‘Happy Most Of The Time’ has a pleasing urgency about it in the 4th place slot.

Whilst researching the first paragraph of this piece I managed to lose focus on the album playing away in the background which maybe goes someway to point out a rather ephemeral quality in the work. Either that or tracks 5 and 6 are forgettable. My attention was snagged once more though by the weighty riffing in ‘Here In The Deadlights’ and the near-anger of that song remains in ‘Met Your Match’. Cut number 10 ‘No One Else But You’ changes things a bit with a lean towards blue-eyed soul territory to pretty good effect. ‘Come On’ is a simple but effective rocker and final track ‘On the Fence’ changes pace once more to close out on a The Band-like country saloon ballad.

With any luck then Benson’s Readymade Records should have a decent sized hit on its hands here. I for one will be digging out the older albums and getting my hands on the two I know nothing of bar their titles – One Mississippi and My Old, Familiar Friend.