As I mentioned previously, I left Shelley King's great show & hopped across the street to see Ben at Flip's. He was doing a one hour set, solo. Up to now I've only seen him in small spurts, 3 songs here, 3 songs there. Liked him from the first time I saw him so really wanted to get to a show where there would be more than a couple of songs.
He has a really neat voice. He doesn't sound like anybody else although sometimes, stylistically anyway, he reminds me of Tom Waits. Probably it's the soulfulness as he's got a bunch of it. He has a baritone that is sometimes very clear, sometimes kind of grainy, sometimes kind of higher pitched, really, he's just a darn good singer. It's his phrasing, too. Kind of reminds me of jazz because he mixes it up.
I guess he fits the Americana, singer/songwriter groove but like I said, he has a sound all his own. Very good writer, too. Guitar wise, he's pretty much a strummer but with his voice and lyrics, not much else is required.
He has a debut album called "Look Good, Feel Good." I don't have it yet but it is on my list to buy. A couple of my favorite songs are "Heartbreaks" (getting much airplay on KUT here in Austin) and Shotgun Suzy, a duet with Eliza Gilkyson. I have a couple of videos of Ben doing this song, solo at Flipnotics and also with Eliza at Threadgill's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVv-sC1Z078&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrQdVeMDT5I&feature=channel_page
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