Harper and the boys let in the light

There Will Be A Light

Virgin Records

3 out of 5 stars

Ben Harper has collaborated with a lot of people in the past,
but on his sixth and latest album, Ben takes a new turn by teaming
up with 60-year-old, three-time Grammy award winning gospel band
The Blind Boys of Alabama. Harper has always had a unique sense of
soul in his rock/R&B voice, and that comes through in this new
album, There Will Be a Light.

However, the lack of some of his unique stylistic qualities
present on his other albums such as Burn and Diamonds on
the Inside make it less appealing to those who enjoy pop music
more than church music. The meshing of sounds is not displeasing to
the ear, but for those who want some typical Harper sounds, this
album strays a bit too far and instead delves into the roots of
church choir music. Let’s just say this album is not one that you
would play on tour with Jack Johnson.

Now, you don’t have to be a Christian to understand the songs,
but there is an awful lot of mentioning the Lord. It’s not so much
about understanding the words, as being able to feel them through
Ben and the Boys’ voices and instrumentation, which you definitely
can. That is always a sign of success.

Originally they planned to collaborate on one track, but once
they got in the studio the chemistry was evident. The Boys and
Harper ended up with an 11-track album as the product. The a
capella “Mother Pray,” along with tracks 11 and seven as well as
acoustic tracks three and five, offers a more gospel vibe. The
sound is derived from the piano, simple guitar plucking, steady
beats and heartfelt vocals. However, “Take My Hand,” and “There
Will Be a Light” are reminiscent of Harper’s earlier albums. Worthy
of mention are the two awesomely extensive electric guitar solos
thrown right into the center of those songs. There is definite
quality and dedication in this album, but of a slightly different
genre on most tracks.

Bottom Line: Maybe a bit too gospel, but it’s Ben Harper, and
his voice and guitar playing are so radical that the real bottom
line is: talent is talent, undeniably.