Ben Kweller - 'The Rules' (RCA)
2/5
By: Tim Dellow
Production matters. It transformed one quirky lo-fi funster into a generic trad-rock by numbers 'garage' junky in the style of Queens of Leon. (You know they're actually a false Monkey's style band with all of their tracks written by the guy behind that horrific country-pop single 'I just want to dance the night away...with senoritas who can sway'? You do now.)
And the same team have crushed all of the fun out of our Ben. 'I just wanted to make a record like they did in the 60s.' What? With no charisma and a second-rate tune? 'Sha Sha', his last, demonstrated that lo-fi can push the boundaries of four-track recording in the same way that Love, The Beach Boys and The Fugs did. Sticking yourself in a pricey studio with 'Vintage' gear and banging out dad-rock by numbers sadly doesn't. A bitter disappointment.
Artists in this article: Ben Kweller
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