Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama
There Will Be A Light

LA RECENSIONE

Ben Harper returns a year after the release of "Diamonds On The Inside" with this "There Will Be A Light", recorded together with the gospel group The Blind Boys Of Alabama. In this album, the sounds are much more soul, blues, and gospel than ever before.

It all opens with "Take my hand", almost a reworking of "With My Own Two Hands", where the group accompanying the Californian singer on choruses is immediately noticeable, along with the final black voice that characterizes all the blues songs. "Wicked Man" is the most commercial song on the album, used as the first single, with a chorus that immediately sticks in your head, but once again Ben Harper proves to be one of the greatest guitarists, if not the greatest, of recent years, with a solo that only he could perform.
The tone of the music changes immediately after, with "Where Could I Go", a soul ballad that captivates you, in which Harper excels vocally, followed by the guitar and piano. However, "Church House Steps" is a song that combines soul with reggae guitar, with a rhythm that repeats throughout the piece. "11th Commandment" instead is a brief intro to the next song, where Harper splendidly showcases his ability to play the acoustic guitar as if it were an electric one.

In "Well, well, well", a cover of Danny O'keefe also written by Bob Dylan, the gospel voices join the guitar that continues from the previous piece, supported by drums, creating a blues-gospel blend that captures you once more. In "Picture Of Jesus", Harper reinterprets a song already included in his previous album, completely changing it, making it faster and adding instruments, but keeping it on the blues tones that characterize the entire album. "Satisfied Mind" is 100% gospel, where finally the Blind Boys of Alabama return to sing in duet with the leader, something that hasn't happened since the second track, and not just limit themselves to the choruses. "Mother Pray" is a traditional song sung a cappella.

The title track, however, is the best piece on the album, a simple soulful-gospel ballad composition-wise, but it surprises you with the interpretative skill shown by Harper and the "supporting" group. It all concludes with "Church in time", a very rhythmic song compared to the entire album.

With this album, Harper proves to be an outstanding guitarist and composer, able to navigate different musical genres, which, thanks to the voices of the Blind Boys Of Alabama, elevates every song to an extremely high level. The result is the album of the year 2004.