Review: Ben Howard - I Forget Where We Were

image: benhowardmusic.co.uk

 

On the surface, Devon based singer-songwriter, Ben Howard’s second album is a much darker affair to his Mercury Prize nominated 2011 debut, Every Kingdom. With the upbeat and acoustically driven tracks of 2011, such as ‘Only Love’ and ‘Old Pine’, being replaced by hauntingly atmospheric instrumentals and melancholic lyrical content. However, the slow-building warm hues of his previous material haven’t been lost in the blur of sparse chords and the overall moody tone he has adopted on his second pursuit.

 

You could say 2012’s The Burgh Island EP was the first inkling that Howard was venturing into slightly darker territory, with tracks like ‘To Be Alone’ possessing similar atmospheric and immersive instrumentals that wouldn’t sound out of place on I Forget Where We Were. ‘Small Things’ for example, opening the album with reverb-ridden guitars, complimented by reflective lyricism; “has the world gone mad, or is it me?” ‘Rivers in Your Mouth’ however, is much more up-tempo with fast paced percussion that somehow sounds reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘I’m on Fire’.

 

The album’s title track is a true reflection of Howard’s ever-growing credibility since the release of Every Kingdom. Its slow-building structure comprising of a sombre guitar melody and faint drums is surprisingly infectious. However, it isn’t until the goose bump-inducing climactic section, as Howard cries “I forget where we were,” with conviction, amongst a plethora of overbearing percussion and a suspenseful guitar line, that we realise the true extent of the track’s impressiveness.

 

Howard explores the folky elements found on his debut within the track ‘In Dreams’. Its intricate introductory guitar riff and echoing vocals sounding reminiscent of Every Kingdom’s ‘Diamonds’. ‘She Treats Me Well’, however, introduces almost R&B tinged drum beats; perhaps the catchiest track the record has to offer.

 

Both ‘Time is Dancing’ and ‘End of the Affair’ are slow-building and gradual. Constant instrumentals providing the framework for their approaching capstones. The former, an outburst of existing instrumentals and repeated choric vocals, the latter building up into unusually progressive guitars and tortured vocals which sound awfully reminiscent of the overall sound adopted by Foals on Holy Fire.

 

Although 2011’s Every Kingdom was undeniably incredible, the brand new direction Ben Howard has chosen to take on his second record has most certainly paid off. The darker, more atmospheric dimension to his sound that he has unearthed within this album is definitely more to my taste than the joyous nature of his debut.

 

 

Written for PostMusicDepression.