Brendan Benson – You Were Right
Sixth solo album in ten years for the part-time Raconteur Benson.
IN SOME ALTERNATIVE galaxy, it wouldn't be difficult to imagine a Traveling Wilburys-like entity in which Brendan Benson lined-up alongside Kelley Stoltz, John Vanderslice and Dan Auerbach as well as Jack White. One of those fastidious polymaths who likes his recordings analogue, Benson has hatched another great-sounding, canon-aware set with You Were Right. Perhaps it's only this listener that his magnificent tenor occasionally reminds of Boston's Brad Delp, but few will miss the welcome Jean Genie-isms of Purely Automatic, the likely-accidental 10CCs of Lol Creme injected into the chorus of Long Term Goal, or the fact that Swallow You Whole is driven by Nilsson-like Vaudevillian charm. Gracefully spot-welded to his own lead vocal, Benson's BV harmonies on Diamond are special indeed, and it's neat that Jackson Five-style rhythm-guitar patrols the song’s country backwoods. A winner from top to bottom. Listen to Diamond: