Remember the days when the artistic expression of a musician was more than a couple of singles? When an entire album was focused around a central theme that wasn't the opposite gender? For those of you who believed the idea of the "concept album" to be a thing of the past, do yourself a favor and pick up Ben Harper's new release, "Both Sides of the Gun."
Ben Harper is no newcomer to the music scene, putting out seven studio albums in the past 12 years. He is an icon in both the jam band and the alternative scene, having played several incarnations of the famed Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and penning such songs as the immensely popular singles "Burn One Down" and "Steal My Kisses."
Like the title of any real concept album, "Both Sides of the Gun" has great meaning: Harper's most recent production lyrically explores two very different aspects of life while exhibiting his diverse musical repertoire. The liner notes subtitle the record "An Album in Two Parts," referring to the fact that, while each disc of this double album deals with independent ideas, the album would not be complete without both sides.
The first song of the album, "Morning Yearning," sets the tone for the first disc. It is a classic Harper studio work: The song is soft and slow with acoustic guitar, light percussion and a small orchestral string section. Harper's calming voice, with its timid falsetto, sings a sad song of lost love.
The next three songs leave little question that the first disc deals with Harper's lamented love and the inner turmoil that ensued. The poetic lyrics, set in slow tempos, continue, and although the musical style varies, it does so only slightly.
The second disc is the truly original piece of the album. The song "Better Way" starts the other side with a faster pace and bohemian flavor. Harper's lyrics take a very different direction as he takes aim at society and decries the direction in which the world is heading. With lyrics like "What good is a man / who won't take a stand / What good is a cynic / with no better plan," Harper moves away from his normally introspective mindset and begins to comment on the world around him.
With "Black Rain," Harper and Jason Yates write a true protest song, commenting on the post-Katrina relief effort, the war in Iraq and the current administration's handling of the two. Harper doesn't stop with a single track, however; in "Gather 'Round the Stone" he uses lyrics like "You whip the back of freedom / 'till it bleeds an oil stream / Then you sail down upon it / in your killing machine" to erase any doubt of his meaning.
That is not to say that the album only deals with dark, depressing issues. The song "Get It Like You Like It" provides a little comic relief with lyrics about the glorious 2004 World Series victory of the Boston Red Sox.
The varying styles of music on the second disc are also important aspects of the album because, like the lyrics, the genres explore different outlooks. The bohemian "Better Way" leads into Harper's Sly Stone impression on the album's title track. "Please Don't Talk About Murder While I'm Eating" has an indie vibe, and "The Way You Found Me" is jazz.
Ben Harper shows just how talented he is on this album. The lyrics are of a quality that is rarely seen in music anymore. They are piercing yet poetic, with an almost Dylan-esque property. The musical styles of the record vary through diverse genres, while their quality is on par with the lyrics.
The two discs combine to create Ben Harper himself. Each disc deals with a different side of Harper: The first concerns Harper's feelings and thoughts about himself while the second addresses his outlook on the past, present and future of society.
This album is a gem in today's music, as a musician can rarely take so many different styles and ideas and create one cohesive work with a common theme. Ben Harper brings back the "concept album" and embraces a long-dormant art form that expresses true artistry in music.
