What you see and what you hear is what you get when Benjamin
Folke Thomas bounds into your musical horizon. The striking Swede with vocals
as deep as his excavated song writing is back with a brand new album full of
smart, astute content packed with an interesting punch. COPENHAGEN is the title
and unravels as an assorted selection of songs stretching the entire spectrum
from complex to catchy. One certainty is that this release courts memorable
appeal and reaches out to those looking for a slightly offbeat style to their
roots music.
This is the third album for a singer-songwriter who has
shared his habitat between London and his Scandinavian homeland. Residency in
the former has allowed Ben to get a foothold on the industry ladder and accrue a
decent amount of praise for his recorded music and entertaining live shows.
Take your pick for a label to describe his musical style – folk in intrinsic
lyrical substance, alt-country in a rousing full band show and distinctly
Americana in outlook. All aspects get a look in on the new album as ten
self-penned tracks launch a campaign to secure your attention.
Individual taste plays an important role in suggesting a
starting point for exploring this record. ‘Rhythm
and Blues’ rolls into your ear drums with infectious appeal, while ‘Finn’ sets the pulse racing for lyrical
wordsmith junkies. On the topic of vocabulary content, the introduction of lines
containing words such as narcissism and contamination in album opener ‘Good Enough Me’ indicate that boundaries
will be pushed. If you’re looking for a few more options to groove along to
then ‘Hold On’ and ‘Bad News’ fit the bill.
It’s always a solid offering to have significant parts at
each end of the album. Alongside the enhanced lyrical content of the opener
exists some rousing guitar pieces, while the record concludes with a resounding
closer in ‘Gimme a Small’, revealed
in all its acoustic glory. Wherever you look, this release hosts intriguing findings
with Nazi resistance and the outcome of thin walls being points to grab your
attention.
COPENHAGEN is a useful addition to the song armoury of
Benjamin Folke Thomas and will continue to bring vibrancy to his hugely
engaging live shows. The fruitful hooks and an insatiable desire to scale the lyrical
summit primarily add up to this being a profoundly satisfying release. In these
challenging times of continental collaboration, the music of Benjamin Folke
Thomas acts as a diverse and unique addition to the UK’s independent roots
scene. More albums like this will continue to add value.
