Album Review: "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?" by Ben Barritt


 

Hey guys!

Hearing new music is always pretty exciting and it's something I'll probably never get tired of. 
I feel very lucky to be in the position where strangers send me there music before it's out and ask me to review it.

But I have to admit that it's always very wonderful when that request doesn't come from strangers,
 but from acts I've known for a while. 
And that's the case with today's album review; I've known Ben Barritt for a few years now, we've worked together multiple times and it's always been a lot of fun. 
The release of his debut album was something we've spoken about quite often and now that it's just around the corner, I'm absolutely stoked for him!

Artist: Ben Barritt
Title: What Would You Like To Leave Behind?
Genre: Folk, Jazz
Label: independent
Release: 14th October 2016
HITS rating: 9/10

Ben Barritt is a musician based in Berlin, Germany.

As a guitarist the variety of genres he plays is incredibly wide - from touring with Americana singer/songwriter Erik Penny to touring and recording with indie folk-rock artist Jim Kroft - Ben does it all.

His own sound blends an impressive amount of genres; from soft and calm acoustic tunes, to folky rhythms to souly jazz songs with sprinkles of rock and r'n'b.

Originally being from London, England, a lot of his songs tell stories about the little things at home: walking through the dark streets on the way back from the pub or using the London underground to see the person you love.

A few of those stories can be found on Ben's EP "Sundial", but he's about to share even more of his music on his upcoming debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?" which I'm going to review for you today.

Tracklist:
1) Underway
2) Dancing Shoes
3) Trouble The Water
4) One Of These Days
5) Flying Home
6) Cracks 
7) Queue
8) Always Making History
9) Now
10) Companion

Opener "Underway" represents the variety of sounds and genres Ben offers; it's upbeat in the verse and chorus but it's calm in the bridge. It's funky and it's folky, yet it still draws in the jazzy elements which you'll find when you listen to Ben Barritt. It's lively, but still not too crowded to be enjoyable.

"Cracks" dims the light, gets more mysterious, more melancholic and nostalgic. This track stands out due to the fantastic combination of a rather dark riff on the acoustic guitar and the light but resistant percussions. The backing vocals sung by Mishka Adams highlight the song in a charming and convincing manner.

The jazzy side of the album is very present in "Now". A catchy bassline, Ben's warm vocals and percussions which underline the vibrant attitude of the song. The lyrics ask us the same question as the album title does - "what would you like to leave behind?" - a thought provoking, yet positive song.

The final song, "Companion", is a beautiful ballad with an even more beautiful message - seeing the simplicity of a complicated situation; a relationship with a person who is far away. Instead of thinking about the complications, this song is all about being someone's companion and walking with them. The calmness of the song is soothing, comforting and it's the perfect closure for the album.


To sum it up: With Ben Barritt being an incredible lead guitarist for many acts, it's no surprise that he offers his listeners brilliant riffs. But there's more to "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?" than just great guitar work - every element is used so well, every composition works from start to finish.
The wait for this debut album was well worth it!


You should listen to these songs: Underway, Now, Companion






Ben Barritt online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud




Thank you for reading!









Credits // Text & Video: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Ben Barritt (artwork by Lucas Dietrich)

2 comments:

  1. Very excited about this one. I'm so curious to hear the final result. Ben is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He sure is! And he's done a fantastic job and he's got some incredible stuff coming up. Can't wait for everyone to see and hear things. :)
      Thank you for your comment, dear!

      Delete

Let me know what you think! :)