Ben Harper - Both Sides of the Gun
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Ben HarperBrand: Baker & Taylor
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2006-03-21
Music Label: Virgin Records Us
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Morning Yearning
- Waiting For You
- Picture In A Frame
- Never Leave Lonely Alone
- Sweet Nothing Serenade
- Reason To Mourn
- More Than Sorry
- Cryin? Won?t Help You Now
- Happy Everafter In Your Eyes
- Better Way
- Both Sides Of The Gun
- Engraved Invitation
- Black Rain
- Gather ?Round The Stone
- Please Don?t Talk About Murder While I?m Eating
- Get It Like You Like It
- The Way You Found Me
- Serve Your Soul
Free Music Notes for Both Sides of the Gun
Free Music Review: Both Sides of Today's Most Talented Artist
Hit: 5 Stars
Ben Harper truly is today's most talented artist. He is an excellent guitarist as displayed on this two disc set. Harper's latest album is a perfect display of the both sides of Ben Harper. Each side of Ben is represented on a disc of its own. Disc one is the sensitive singer-songwriter while disc two is the political fireball.
"Morning Yearning" opens up the first disc with some simple romance. In this song Ben seems to celebrating the simple joys of family life. Plus you have to love the poetic imagery of the phrase, "Like a summer rose, I'm a victim of the fall but am soon returning."
"Sweet Nothing Serenade," is quite possibly the best of Ben Harper's instrumentals. The tune is one of those songs that you instantly felt like you've heard before.
Of course a collection of Ben Harper slow songs would not be complete without some tales of heartbreak in the tradition of "Walk Away" or "Another Lonely Day." On this album that song is "More Than Sorry."
"Crying Won't Help You Now," is classic bitter break up tune. The back up vocals on the chorus make the song quite pretty.
The suprising thing about this disc is the string arrangements. Not that Ben has never performed with strings but it has rarely been done this well. Many times the string arrangements on songs such as "When She Believes" or "My Beloved One" actually trivialize the song. On this disc they really enhance the emotion of the tunes.
As good as the first disc is its the second disc that really cooks. Opening with the fantasic Indian music influenced "Better Way" the disc is a perfect portrayal of the tension and suspicion of our times. "Better Way" is a classic tune of optimism and change the world philosophy.
The funk quotient is also quite high on this disc with the Hurricane Katrina inspired "Black Rain" and the title track. "Black Rain" is the kind of string driven funk you would expect from seventies soul greats Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye.
"Gather Round the Stone" is a prime example of blues-gospel fusion. Continuing with the blues theme is "The Way You Found Me." The tune has an excellent guitar solo and some nice jazzy piano work.
Closing the album out is for me the highlight. "Serve Your Soul" is an eight minute guitar driven epic. It is a song about maintaining your individuality in spite of societal pressures. This song rocks harder then any of Ben's previous works. Many times when Ben has played hard rock it has a tendency to sound like a parody, but this time Ben has all the weight of Zeppelin and Hendrix with the lyrical consciousness of Bob Marley.
This is sure to be one of if not the best things to released in 2006. Pick it up today and you won't be disappointed. You might also might want to pick up the newest album from Derek Trucks Band. nuff said
Both Sides of the Gun Poster
With the release of his seventh studio album, the double-disc Both Sides of the Gun, Ben Harper offers his signature mix of rock, soul, and folk music, while also venturing into new territory. "I was hoping I could come back to the root of my earlier records, the sparseness and intimacy," he says, "and also branch out further in a produced sound than ever before." From the blazing Curtis Mayfield/Stevie Wonder-style funk of "Black Rain" to the gentle sway of "Morning Yearning" to the full-on power ballad "Waiting for You," the eighteen songs on Both Sides reveal a master stylist at the peak of his game.Special Edition includes Bonus CD featuring four alternate mixes and two live tracks.
Ben Harper Photos
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More from Ben Harper
 Fight for Your Mind |  Diamonds on the Inside |  Welcome to the Cruel World |
Split onto two discs, these 18 songs could have fit on one. It's a testament to Harper's aesthetic sensibilities that it is so configured, thereby both avoiding the scourge of the overly long album and dividing the raw, pummeling rockers from the ballads. With his band, the Innocent Criminals, he tears into such songs as "Get It While You Like It" and "Engraved Invitation" with Rolling Stones Exile-era verve. Their finely honed interplay allows the disc-closing "Serve Your Soul" to truly soar. The quieter disc makes its intentions clear from the outset, as a lightly fingerpicked guitar is enveloped by a string section. Within the two discs' separate identities there is variety and dramatic contrast, each one functioning as its own statement. Harper continues to embrace a variety of influences and genres. Lyrically his songs stretch from matters political to introspective emotions. --David Greenberger
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