Ben Harper
The Will To Live

THE REVIEW

I love Ben Harper's music, and The Will To Live (Virgin, 1997) is the album in which I most identify myself, because it conveys love for life and humanity and instills a pleasant sense of peace. As Ben says in the song that gave the album its name, We must all have / The will to live / You got to have / The will to live... always remember that too!

I think there's no need to dwell on Ben Harper. However, let me tell you what struck me most about his biography: his luthier grandfather, with whom he spent much of his childhood in the family musical instrument shop. Have you ever seen a luthier at work? I assure you it's something truly fascinating... I like to think that the way Ben plays his Weissenborn, holding it on his lap and "caressing" its strings with the slide, as if taking care of it to get in return that unmistakable sound, is precisely because of this. A very romantic vision, I know...

The album opens brilliantly with the guitar and drums of Faded, joined by the wonderfully hoarse, whispered, and intimate voice that characterizes Ben Harper. The tracks then follow themes ranging from politics, racism, love, and religion, but all are very deep and full of poetry. It seems that this artist's music doesn't even pass through the ears but touches directly the heart. My favorite track is Roses From My Friends, both for the rhythm and the lyrics: The stones from my enemies / These wounds will mend / But I cannot survive / The roses from my friends. The genre is the "Ben Harper" style: a unique mix of styles (blues, rock, folk, gospel...) stemming from this artist's musical background, influenced by legends like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and Muddy Waters, and his personal touch. There's no need for a lengthy description; this CD should be listened to in one breath, in complete silence, with closed eyes, and it will tell its own story.

If I haven't convinced you to listen to it or if you've heard it already and didn't like it, don't miss the chance to experience a live performance of Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, but I warn you... it'll be love at first note :-)))