Another Form of Relief

Ben Kweller’s 2002 album ‘Sha Sha’ was one of my favourites of that year, and it’s still something I give a fair amount of play to. It’s simply a great pop album from a fresh voice. Unfortunately, his follow up, 2004’s ‘On My Way’, was a big disappointment to me. None of the songs really held my attention from it, and it just felt like a rushed out album that sounded like a bunch of outtakes from the first one.

Since then, a lot has happened to Ben Kweller. Most notably is that he’s got married and become a father. Scarily, he managed this while continuing to look like a twelve year old. I swear this man has developed a way to stop ageing. Anyway, he has a new album coming up in September entitled ‘Ben Kweller’, which as the title suggests is a somewhat introspective affair.

‘Penny On The Train Tracks’ is the first song of the new album to be made available, and so far the signs are good. The signature Kweller elements are here: a piano, a slightly shaky yet still powerful voice, and lyrics that work in both an optimistic and pessimistic manner. Added into this mix are some gleeful handclaps, and a nostalgic tale about running into people you used to know who are doing better than you now. Not the happiest of material, but Kweller never makes it sound depressing, one of his talents on previous albums. If the rest of the album can hold this kind of quality, signs are looking very good for a welcome return to form.

MP3 Ben Kweller - Penny On The Train Track (expired)

‘Penny On The Train Track’ is taken from Ben Kweller’s upcoming self-titled album, which is released September 19.

Ben Kweller: Website || Myspace

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