Ben Harper - Diamonds on the Inside
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Free Music Notes for Diamonds on the Inside
Free Music Review: diamonds
Hit: 5 Stars
I thought that this cd was great. I really wish he would put Diamonds On The Inside on one of his greatest cd's.Free Music Review: This CD Rocks.
Hit: 5 Stars
Ben Harper is the greatest. Beautiful...Album is Very unique (of course). Buy it. The man has style.Free Music Review: The dog who could
Hit: 5 Stars
The dog who could is a scary bookFree Music Review: Too good for wood
Hit: 5 Stars
This cd is too cool for school.Free Music Review: "When it's good it's oh so good.."
Hit: 4 Stars
Soul, rock, funk, reggae, blues - Ben Harper's always basically stuck to the roots, but somehow made them sound fresh and vital all along. With Diamonds on the Inside he's branching out more than before, and even though there's basically nothing here we haven't all heard before, it's one tasty mix nonetheless. "Everything" and the title track are basically pop, as cheery and upbeat as you'd ever want to hear. "Touch From Your Lust" is the greasiest, sexiest R&B groove I've heard in a good long time. "When It's Good" and "Temporary Remedy" are burning grungy blues (of the acoustic and electric varieties respectively), while "Brown Eyed Blues" isn't; it's sunny reggae-fied funk instead, which gets topped only by (surprise surprise) "Bring The Funk" itself. Lyrically this disc is filled with one predictable cliche after another, but that's probably not the point. Ben doesn't mind sharing his thoughts on making the world a better place, and you certainly don't need to wonder whether he loves Jesus, but if you don't mind such thoughts in small doses the lyrics here shouldn't become overbearing. What's clear throughout is that he's writing and singing straight from the heart. Countless people have sung about helping the world as Harper does on the opening track, but his performance is no less sincere because of it. Combine that with a set of strong songs as we have here and you've got a solid disc that'll appeal to all kinds of music fans across the board.
Occasionally the sound does seem a little well-trodden, which is why I leave off the fifth star. "With My Own Two Hands" is the kind of simple beat that's been used by every reggae artist since the dawn of time, and "Picture of Jesus" is buoyed by a beautiful African chant.. which I would have liked a lot more if it didn't seem lifted almost as-is from Paul Simon's "Homeless." But these are small quibbles, and Ben's virtuosity with a guitar (particularly when he's playing acoustic with a slide) makes for some wonderful moments throughout.
Many artists don't pull off this kind of variety in a decade, let alone an album, but Harper does; and for all the scope this disc covers, everything is still pulled off remarkably well. Roots rockers, don't hesitate to pick up Diamonds on the Inside if you're curious about the man (though not at the expense of Live From Mars). Whether you consider it essential or not, it's still a whole lotta fun.