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The Daily OrangeHanging by a thread
Empty lyrics, lack of emotion hold back Harper's Lifeline
By Dave Arey
Posted: 8/28/07, 12:21 AM EST Section: Decibel
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
"Lifeline"
Rock
Sounds like: John Mayer, Otis Redding
50 Decibels
Rumor has it Ben Harper's new album only took him a week to finish, and it shows.
Harper's productivity cannot be questioned - last year, he released "Both Sides of the Gun," a double album filled with some of the best material of his career.
But "Lifeline" is a step back from that album, and it may have something to do with those seven days of recording.
Harper's always been groomed to be a star. His voice is electric, he's fluent in many instruments and he's quite the looker.
Yet his music is plagued by carelessness. His supporters use euphemisms like "effortless" and "casual" to describe his songs, but "nice" probably works best. Because in reality, that's all his music is.
"Fight Outta You," the opening track, is a perfect example of this. Harper's voice is playful and laid-back, and the backing music, led by some smooth organ-playing, complements this.
However, the lyrics are nothing more than a pseudo-philosophical jumble of nice-sounding phrases. According to Harper, "Secrets hide their lies inside hidden alibis." What does that even mean?
Many other songs are melodious but devoid of meaning. The instrumentation of "In the Colors" is reminiscent of Van Morrison, but Harper robs the song of any suspense. "Fool For a Lonesome Train" and "Needed You Tonight" demonstrate good Otis Redding impressions, but it just isn't the same. Even in the latter, when Harper raises his voice and laments "how my heart aches," it sounds like karaoke.
Even when Harper nails the feel of a song, his lyrics can hold him back. "Say You Will" sounds like a mixture of Motown and Gospel, with rousing backup singers making it one of the few upbeat songs on the album.
However, some of the hokey lyrics are so contrived that they leave a bad taste in your mouth. Imitation remains a tough road to go down, especially when straddling the line between flattery and mockery.
Certainly, other pop artists get away with fluff all the time. There's nothing here as lyrically ludicrous as "Your Body is a Wonderland," and Harper doesn't have John Mayer's earnestness. Even at Harper's most heartfelt, he never completely grabs you. Like Lenny Kravitz (who is a spiritual, if not musical, forbearer), he can sing and play guitar like the greats, but he can't come close to emoting like them.
This brings us back to the amount of time it took to record "Lifeline." Harper is certainly a talented musician, with a strong voice, wide range and some skills on guitar. However, all the talent in the world can't make up for dedication. "Both Sides of the Gun" showed us what he's capable of when he puts the most effort possible into an album. "Lifeline" shows us what he's capable of in seven days.
"Lifeline"
Rock
Sounds like: John Mayer, Otis Redding
50 Decibels
Rumor has it Ben Harper's new album only took him a week to finish, and it shows.
Harper's productivity cannot be questioned - last year, he released "Both Sides of the Gun," a double album filled with some of the best material of his career.
But "Lifeline" is a step back from that album, and it may have something to do with those seven days of recording.
Harper's always been groomed to be a star. His voice is electric, he's fluent in many instruments and he's quite the looker.
Yet his music is plagued by carelessness. His supporters use euphemisms like "effortless" and "casual" to describe his songs, but "nice" probably works best. Because in reality, that's all his music is.
"Fight Outta You," the opening track, is a perfect example of this. Harper's voice is playful and laid-back, and the backing music, led by some smooth organ-playing, complements this.
However, the lyrics are nothing more than a pseudo-philosophical jumble of nice-sounding phrases. According to Harper, "Secrets hide their lies inside hidden alibis." What does that even mean?
Many other songs are melodious but devoid of meaning. The instrumentation of "In the Colors" is reminiscent of Van Morrison, but Harper robs the song of any suspense. "Fool For a Lonesome Train" and "Needed You Tonight" demonstrate good Otis Redding impressions, but it just isn't the same. Even in the latter, when Harper raises his voice and laments "how my heart aches," it sounds like karaoke.
Even when Harper nails the feel of a song, his lyrics can hold him back. "Say You Will" sounds like a mixture of Motown and Gospel, with rousing backup singers making it one of the few upbeat songs on the album.
However, some of the hokey lyrics are so contrived that they leave a bad taste in your mouth. Imitation remains a tough road to go down, especially when straddling the line between flattery and mockery.
Certainly, other pop artists get away with fluff all the time. There's nothing here as lyrically ludicrous as "Your Body is a Wonderland," and Harper doesn't have John Mayer's earnestness. Even at Harper's most heartfelt, he never completely grabs you. Like Lenny Kravitz (who is a spiritual, if not musical, forbearer), he can sing and play guitar like the greats, but he can't come close to emoting like them.
This brings us back to the amount of time it took to record "Lifeline." Harper is certainly a talented musician, with a strong voice, wide range and some skills on guitar. However, all the talent in the world can't make up for dedication. "Both Sides of the Gun" showed us what he's capable of when he puts the most effort possible into an album. "Lifeline" shows us what he's capable of in seven days.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Kevin G. Hunt
posted 8/29/07 @ 12:32 AM EST
I respectfully disagree with the review of Ben Harper's new album "Lifeline". Harper is one of the most emotive, expressive, and soulful singer/songwriters making music today. (Continued…)
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