Ben Bedford
Album: What We Lost
Label: Waterbug
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.benbedford.com

Here's yet another example of an artist who's already several albums down the line before I get to hear his music, and instantly prompting a "how and why have I missed out on such a talent?" reaction. In this case, What We Lost turns out to be Ben's third studio album. I can't tell you much about Ben however, beyond the fact that he hails from Illinois, is a storyteller par excellence, and seems to take his inspiration from all the right people, notably his literary idols John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison, in the act of "casting individual people in the theatre of the American landscape". These individuals are all seeking meaning in life, whether a life already lived or a dream of a life yet to be lived, and all share dreams of something better; the time-honoured dichotomy of personal loss and private victory is explored ever insightfully by Ben in his songwriting.

The title track is a fine demonstration of Ben's skilful storytelling, a poignantly simple expression of his grandfather's musings following the death of his brother during the Second World War. Fallen and Guinevere Is Sleeping both tenderly convey the longing of parted lovers, to meltingly beautiful melodies, while Empty Sky, which sports harmony vocals from Kari Bedford, is a semi-autobiographical take on the Garden Of Eden story. Biblical allusions occur on other tracks too: Cloudless is a complex allegory that neatly references the temptations, and John The Baptist fires off at empty prophets and pseudo-evangelism. The bluesy Fire In His Bones pays tribute to the delta blues legend Charley Patton (a change from the usual Robert Johnson eulogies), whereas Vachel concerns the life of now-almost-forgotten Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay. The musical settings Ben adopts are detailed and crisply focused, with the warm colourings of cello (Ron De La Vega) and Hammond organ (Dennis Wage) prominent in the softly guitar-drenched texture - the characterful electric guitar work of former Nanci Griffth sideman Chas Williams (the album's producer) forms a signature thread that binds many of the songs together.

The knowing breadth of Ben's inspirations certainly has the desired effect of stimulating the listener into seeking out information on his unsung heroes, just as the captivating nature of the whole of this album will have the (also desired?) effect of stimulating the listener into seeking out Ben's previous two albums.

David Kidman