Brendan Benson has announced that he's releasing his new studio album - his fifth - called 'What Kind Of World' on April 21st! The album is released on his own Readymade Music label - which was born in the 90's when Benson released his very first demos on 12" singles with The Wellfed Boys. This year the label goes worldwide with releases from both himself and other artists - including Young Hines - the first signed to the label. You can keep up with Brendan and his label develpments on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/brendanbensonmusic
Brendan is perhaps best known these days as the co-founder of The Raconteurs - with Jack White (of the White Stripes) - but I'm more partial to his solo work. There isn't any new music available from his forthcoming album just yet, so instead we'll feature a few of his finest songs released over the years - including a rare remix!
'Metarie' is the first Brendan Benson song I heard - and I fell in love with it instantly! Several different recordings of the song have been made, including some with different lyrics. There's the 'Wellfed Version' recorded with The Wellfed Boys in 2003, 'U.K. Version', 'Fred de Faye Mix', 'Demo Version', 'Alternative Version' and the rather rare 'Alpha's Dub Mix' (which I will feature below).
I think a couple of them might actually be the same version with a different name - there's so many that it can be a challenge to sort them all - but it's the version from his 2002 album 'Lapalco' that is most to my liking. I love the female backing vocals on this version, it has a warmer production feel to it than some of the others, and I think it flows more smoothly (perfectly in fact!) as well - but this might just be because it was the first version I heard.
This is the album version of 'Metarie'... Enjoy!
This is the rare 'Alpha's Dub Mix' by Alpha - which was included on the U.K. cd single for 'Metarie'. It's a dub mix not so much in a club remix sense - although it does feature fewer overall lyrics than the original, and it repeats a key line or two as many dub versions of club songs will do - but more dub sounding as in the reggae style. One might describe it as trip hop as well - with Alpha being from Bristol and all... Enjoy!
Brendan Benson - Metarie (Alpha's Dub Mix) by SummersRadio™
'Alternative To Love', a song about the neverending seach for true love, was first released as a b-side of the 'Metarie' EP/ single - but was later re-recorded and became the title track (sans 'The') of his 2005 album 'The Alternative To Love'. Brendan's sound is often described as power pop - with influences noted to include artists such as The Cars, Wings, E.L.O., and David Bowie. I like how the bass and occasional hihat give the song a danceable, almost (subtle) disco feel... Enjoy!
'Garbage Day' is a track from his previous most recent solo album (after releasing two albums with The Raconteurs) - 2009's 'My Old, Familiar Friend'. Any regular reader will likely know by now that I'm a fan of well used/ placed strings - as 'Garbage Day' has in abundance. You can certainly hear an E.L.O. influcence here - but it also has a nice Motown feel to it as well... Enjoy!
Brendan Benson - Garbage Day by SummersRadio™
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