Benjy Davis Project “Lost Souls Like Us” Rock Ridge Music Sounds like: A cajun Jack Johnson Grade: B+
Some bands get flack for trying so hard to stay true to a certain style that it actually ends up constraining the production, making it sound flat and lifeless. The Louisiana-based Benjy Davis Project are not one of those bands. If anything, it’s that very idea that makes their new album all the more enjoyable. With a delightful blend of Southern rock and acoustic pop, the 12 tracks may be lacking in originality, but the band make up for it in a rapturous liveliness. And with each new chord, you are sure to find yourself willfully singing along. There’s a certain consistency to the songs in both pacing and tone. Starting with “Mississippi,” listeners are treated to a jubilant ballad about the whimsy of finding love. It blends together a rustic country twang with the lively, off-beat vocals of Benjy Davis. His singular voice somehow manages to work on all kinds of levels to match the fluctuating moods of the songs, from the dreamy “Send Your Love Down” to the jolting “Give it a Week’s Time.” Sure, there isn’t much variation from song to song, but the pithy moments of pure bliss contained in each are just plain uplifting. While the album is completely lackadaisical in approach, it’ll make you feel that nostalgic enchantment of home in the sun-baked South. Davis is able to bring these memories to the surface with such a clarity that it will have you pressing the replay button on instinct. In essence, it’s a very spiritual album through and through.
Alkaline Trio “This Addiction” Epitaph Sounds like: Reggie & The Full Effect imitating Rufio Grade: C-
It’s not that Alkaline Trio’s new album sounds particularly bad or faces any mishaps in quality. In fact, taking apart its components — from the frantic riffs to the strong-worded verbal delivery — you’d think that this was a solid album worthy enough to satisfy even casual fans of the band. But compared to previous releases, “This Addiction” just sounds like the band didn’t put in the right amount of effort, with some tracks that seem like nothing more than rehashes of others. One of the more noticeable drawbacks with the album is its relative brevity. And while that’s usually a moot point in the world of alternative-punk rock, it is no exaggeration to say that these songs genuinely would have fared better if they had more wiggle room to further develop. Without that, the album is nothing but fluff, and everything sounds unfinished. We get tracks like “Draculina” and “Dorothy” that are just empty shells, searching for a high point only to flop. There’s a change of pace with more personal songs like “Piss and Vinegar” and “The American Scream” that are admittedly more impassioned and catchy, but they’re soured by a very humdrum repetition. If anything, the album plays to established fans who are already predisposed to adding this new album to their collection. But it is likely to go over the heads of the minority of people who are hoping to get into the band for the first time. Just give it a listen, but don’t think of it as a benchmark for the band’s work.
