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This year my musical and spiritual heat is being provided by the soulful hauntings of Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama with There Will Be A Light.
We are hearing the union of a combination of artists at their peak. The Blind Boys bring the raw Negro Spiritual tradition and decades ... Read review
Take My Hand (Ben Harper) (The Blind Boys Of Alabama) Wicked Man (Ben Harper) (The Blind ... more
Boys Of Alabama) Where Could I Go (Ben Harper) (The Blind Boys Of Alabama) Church House Steps (Ben Harper) (The Blind Boys Of Alabama) 11th Commandment (Ben Harper...
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Advantages: Warms the cockles of your soul Disadvantages: You need a soul in the first place
...Blind Boys of Alabama with There Will Be A Light.
We are hearing the union of a combination of artists at their peak. The Blind Boys bring the raw Negro Spiritual tradition and decades of blended hymnal harmonising.
Harper and his band bring the stripped down arrangements to vocals aged in oak caskets for generations, soaking up decades and life experience.
As you expect there is variety without vanity. ... ...their melodies.
There Will Be A Light would be perfect for a coffee advert. It’s mellow, optimistic and you can almost see the sunrise between the chords and the bitter sweet vocals.
The album was recorded after improvision between Ben and The Boys on-stage when the latter opened for the former for three nights in Paris, producing an alchemy of talent
There is very much a jam atmosphere to the album, recorded ... more
As the winter months draw in it’s good to tuck oneself on bed with a flask, in a wood cabin, and authentic Deep South gospel blues to warm the cockles of the heart.
This year my musical and spiritual heat is being provided by the soulful hauntings of Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama with There Will Be A Light.
We are hearing the union of a combination of artists at their peak. The Blind Boys bring the raw Negro Spiritual tradition and decades of blended hymnal harmonising.
Harper and his band bring the stripped down arrangements to vocals aged in oak caskets for generations, soaking up decades and life experience.
As you expect there is variety without vanity. The lonely slide guitar in Dylan cover Well, Well, Well seems to be fighting for empathy whereas accapella lament Mother Pray is touching enough to bring tears to a statue. Dare to feel the fervour.
If anyone knows about life it’s the Blind Boys, having lived through the depression, two world wars and being black in the USA. Despite their lack of optical prowess one gets the feeling they see more than most about what goes on around them.
And to keep their faith in an age when many around them are losing theirs, or using it for their own benefit, shows a thunderous resolve punching their melodies.
There Will Be A Light would be perfect for a coffee advert. It’s mellow, optimistic and you can almost see the sunrise between the chords and the bitter sweet vocals.
The album was recorded after improvision between Ben and The Boys on-stage when the latter opened for the former for three nights in Paris, producing an alchemy of talent
There is very much a jam atmosphere to the album, recorded at Capitol Records’ famous Basement Studio, with the whole eleven songs finished in eight days.
This is both a good and bad thing. We get to embrace the live feel to the tracks and feel the genuine emotion, but I get the feeling this could have been even better given a few weeks more bonding, brimstone and post-tour blues.
Close your eyes, open your ears and see how the blind can see.
mark_allen71 01.12.2004 (01.12.2004)
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Quick review of There Will Be A Light - Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama
This is a nice album alright but it tends to go far too much into the religious side of things. Some will say outstanding but I'm really not a fan of this one although I'm a huge fan of Ben Harper ..
If you are into lyrics but not into religion, it might get a bit too much. ...
Tof17 29.06.2007
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of There Will Be A Light - Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Product Information for "There Will Be A Light - Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama" »
Product details
Title
There Will Be A Light
Performer
Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Genre
Blues
Sub Genre
Contemporary Blues
Release Date
20/09/2004
Recomended Retail Price
16.99 GBP
Original Release Year
2004
Label / Distributor
Virgin / EMI Operations/CEVA Logistics
Guest Artist(s)
Harper, Ben & The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Engineer
Jimmy Hoyson; Mike Glines
Producer
Ben Harper
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
724357120623
Catalogue Number
CDVUS 254
Additional notes
Album Notes
Full performer name: Ben Harper/Blind Boys Of Alabama. Harper/Blind Boys Of Alabama: Ben Harper (vocals, guitar); Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter, George Scott, Tracy Pierce, Bobby Butler, Ricky McKinnie, Joey Williams (vocals). Additional personnel: Jason Yates, Marc Ford, Michael Ward, Juan Nelson, Leon Mobley, Oliver Charles, Rock Deadrick. Recording information: 01/25/2004 - 03/15/2004. This collaboration between Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama draws heavily from blues and gospel traditions. Many of the songs on THERE WILL BE A LIGHT, particularly "Take My Hand" and "Mother Pray," are highly devotional. However, unlike many of the spiritual records on the market, this album is musically diverse and non-formulaic. And, despite the finely wrought production, Harper retains an earthy, organic feel throughout this intimate outing, which relies more on subtlety and nuance than blatant preaching. THERE WILL BE A LIGHT also emulates Depression-era blues very well. "11th Commandment" and "Well Well Well" feature Harper's slide guitar, and his soulful playing harks back to the work of Robert Johnson and Elmore James. Unlike some revivalists, Harper shows that he understands--and has internalized--the Delta blues and gospel traditions. Of course, one can't overstate the contribution the Blind Boys of Alabama bring to this album. Their passionate harmonies add warmth and grace to each and every song.
Album Reviews
Rolling Stone (p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "'Where Could I Go,' which plays like an elegantly spaced Fifties rock ballad, is a wonder....'Well, Well, Well' sounds like a lost, brilliant 78-rpm side."
Entertainment Weekly (p.69) - "[T]his union of the slide-playing roots rocker and the veteran gospel septet feels relaxed and natural." - Grade: B+
Uncut (p.105) - 3 stars out of 5 - "It's as inspirational as you would expect from such a blues-gospel summit to be. Harper contributes stinging slide guitar and adds his own distinctive vocals to those of the magnificent Clarence Fountain."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Take My Hand
2.
Wicked Man
3.
Where Could I Go
4.
Church House Steps
5.
11th Commandment
6.
Well Well Well
7.
Picture Of Jesus
8.
Satisfied Mind
9.
Mother Pray
10.
There Will Be A Light
11.
Church On Time
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Listed on Ciao since
01/12/2004
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