Ben & Hellen Harper
Childhood Home

Ben Harper returns to his roots, and he does so with his wife Ellen. She works at the Folk Music Center and Museum in Claremont, California. A museum founded by her relatives 50 years earlier. This alone says it all about the mood of the album. There are no electric instruments. Ellen, Ben, and three other musicians accompany on piano, bass, and guitar. Six songs by Ben, four by Ellen. The themes of the album revolve around the home as the center of all experiences. A very peaceful and calm home that transmits serenity. A place to rest before setting off on one's travels again, to reflect on the past to plan for the future. Ben Harper's prolificacy is notable, yet the quality level always remains good. Even in this handful of songs slightly over half an hour in total, there’s always that soul of Ben that comes out to tell us that knowing how to play well is not enough. It requires something else, something that touches the spirit. And with his wife, he knows how to give it to us. The rhythms, as mentioned, are slow but not trivial, because you can feel there is life. The lyrics are accessible without interpretation, seemingly simple. But as mentioned, there's that little extra touch that not everyone possesses.

"Heavyhearted World", the fourth track in the collection. It's Christmas morning, innocent morning. There's a flag raised today, so a nurse closes the door. There's a man in the corner, playing just like me. Stirring it all up above Times Square, no disease. If only I could forget what I should know. If only I could avoid sinking so low. It knocked me down, and in the world I was torn apart. With nowhere else to turn in this heavy-hearted world. We exchanged our anger for broken bones; We exchanged our fear for a place to call home; We exchanged our life for one long day. Nothing is more beautiful than fading away. Fear and love I remember made for you: Prepared us for the painful truth. So, gather only what is sacred, sum of your courage. Walk with me in this heavy-hearted world.