Learning to Bend - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
It was the cat-poles around the lake at his grandfather s farm that inspired Ben Sollee s debut album Learning To Bend. The frailty of those awkward looking plants standing stoutly against winds that challenged even the strongest of nearby trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance. This idea is central to Learning To Bend.

Key tracks on Learning To Bend include two reactions to the current political landscape, A Few Honest Words, and an adaptation of Sam Cooke s A Change is Gonna Come, in which Ben has written updated, politically relevant verses. Other highlights of the album are the playful, soul track, How To See the Sun Rise and the vulnerable yet insistent It s Not Impossible, where Ben laments the unfortunate status quo that boys don t cry.

Ben has found considerable success in recent years through his ability to bend. In 2007, he was named one of NPR s Top Ten Unknown Artists of the Year. His distinctive cello technique and soulful voice have been marinating for years in his work with avant-garde bluesman Otis Taylor, The Sparrow Quartet, (featuring banjo-master Bela Fleck), and on the internationally known Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour.

Being born and raised in Kentucky, Ben is very proud to have recorded Learning To Bend with Duane Lundy in Lexington, KY and releasing the album with SonaBLAST! Records, a Louisville based label. In fact, almost all aspects of the record are rooted in Kentucky in some form - from the photography, to the design of the disc, to the videos.

Ben s unique performance experience and creative vision trump his 24 years and traditional classical training; he is poised to emerge as a solo artist, bridging genres and demographics with earnest and dynamic songwriting. However, the single most salient quality of Learning to Bend, is Ben s contagiously optimistic worldview. Ben is not just expressing his personal quest for flexibility, he is asking the entire country to learn to bend, learn how to cry, learn how to see the sun rise... He is at the forefront of a movement that is happening right now: a zeitgeist in which a nation can face reality and empower itself to evolve and feel deeply and stand up for the power of hope.

Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

A TRUE GEM June 11, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This album represents a triumph in every respect. Very solid song writing in the pop song tradition: lovely melodies, well-written lyrics sweetly sung. However, what distinguishes this album from most everything else being written and recorded by young musicians these days are the arrangements and tempos. With Ben's background in classical music one naturally finds songs written in different tempos, such as the waltz, and use of other string instruments besides a guitar and Ben's cello. Yet, Ben can still throw in fiddle, Bela Fleck's banjo, jaw harp, drums, harps, saxophones and even a vibraphone when called for. And that's the point, Ben uses these varied instruments when called for, not just to show off. To top things off, this is a stunningly well recorded album, no compression here, which plays well on an audiophile system.
I came to Ben, through the music of Abigail Washburn, who's family and mine have been friends for years. So while I owe it to Abby's family to say nice things about her, not hard at all, I owe nothing to Ben. I have become a fan of his simply by listening to him play with Abby, for several years now, and getting to know him a bit at pre-concert gatherings. This is a tremendously talented young man. His album will stand-up quite well against anything else released this year (I'm talking about artists like Elvis Costello and Van Morrison both of whom released strong albums this year) and will repay re-listening for years to come. Isn't that the real test of a great album?

5 out of 5 stars

You must buy this album! June 10, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This album is simply amazing. Especially in times like these, the optimistic and hopeful view Ben Sollee has on the world is refreshing. His vocals and cello work are distinctive and captivating. "A Few Honest Words," "How To See the Sun Rise," and an adaptation of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" are a few of the highlights. However, make sure you listen from beginning to end- it will not disappoint.

5 out of 5 stars

Music with magnitude June 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Some musicians are merely entertainers. Ben Sollee is one of the few who is truly an artist. "Learning to Bend" is melodic sculpture, something forged of tone and tempo that transcends the prevailing belief of the recording industry that music is simply a product. This album is not a commodity. These songs, instead, are Ben's gift.

On "Learning to Bend", Ben's solid and soulful vocals (occasionally joined by Abigail Washburn) endow earnest songcraft with stunning emotional potency. His innovative cocktail of finger-plucked and bowed cello form the backbone of the recordings, but a veritable menagerie of instrumentalists (including but not limited to: a string quartet, harp, vibraphone, saxophone, the occasional drum, and a cameo by banjo maestro Bela Fleck on the playful and poignant "It's Not Impossible") contribute true magnitude to "Learning to Bend".

Lyrics with something more to impart than a mere story populate this album. There are lessons residing here, disguised as song. Prepare yourself to be taught how to allow music to move you again, how to let it build you up and break you, incite then quiet you.

I have come to the conclusion that Ben Sollee does not keep his heart under the loose board in the floor as stated in the gorgeously scored lullaby "Copper and Malachite" that puts this album to bed. Ben Sollee's heart is in his music.

4 out of 5 stars

Learning to Bend July 15, 2008
This album is worth buying if for only the track "Its Not Impossible".
The more I listen to this album, the more I like it.
You will not be disappointed!

5 out of 5 stars

The Reason Why... July 17, 2008
Like others here, I came to "know" Ben through his collaboration with Abigail Washburn. Since I was a complete stranger to the world of Bluegrass, the idea of a cello being used outside of "classical" music gave me much pause. Enter Ben Sollee, who's incredible musical talent takes his instrument where a cello would not normally be found. With Abby's music, he adds a richness and a color that create a depth in which to get wonderfully lost. Here, with his own sounds and lyrics, he takes the listener down many musical paths, each enjoyable, often thought-provoking, all to be listened to over and over again. Congratulations to Ben, and to all who have the brains to buy this album!

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