Photo By Max Norton – NOLA
Los Angeles- Sometimes it’s failure that sets us on the track that we need to be on. For Benjamin Booker the inability to score a job in journalism out of college was the impetus for his now budding musical career. While his first show was in the not-so-distant past (the middle of 2012) he has since performed on the Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, booked opening slots at the Newport Folk Festival and Lollapalooza, and has opened for one of his idols – Jack White. The raspy voiced guitarist, now 25, has accomplished more in two years than what many even hope to dream to achieve. It’s to the public’s benefit that his life as a journalist never came to fruition.
As Booker stands on stage at the Echo he looks down to tune his guitar. Though he’s only one song into his set he is sweating like he’s run a marathon. “This is our first show in L.A.,” he says. With a sheepish grin his comment is met oohs and aahs. The sold-out crowd gives him a hero’s welcome. His self-titled debut was released days’ earlier and in a few days he would be performing at FYF Fest in Exposition Park. Tonight though, his “punk blues” fury will be unleashed in a small room.
Booker’s voice sounds as if his vocal chords have been wrapped in sandpaper. The tone it has achieved is like he has gargled with broken glass and gone through countless cartons of Marlboros for most of his life. It’s raw, powerful, and sometimes incomprehensible. Unmistakable in its timbre the furious energy that comes from his bluesy, punk punchy riffs have hardcore sensibilities and are a blending of genres that sound as urgent as they are familiar.
“Wicked Waters” has that sock hop rock vibe and Booker’s punkish delivery gives the song that rough pop oomph. It sounds like it could’ve come from a dusty old jukebox from the 50’s or born in a back alley when punk rock was a more dangerous commodity. Its dancy rhythms can make for either a hip-shaking dance number or light circle pit depending on the crowd.
Tearing through the more blues-paced “Chippewa,” the crunchy distorted bridge leads to a guitar solo that borders on sloppy, but fits perfectly in place. Harsh and at times out of sync, Booker’s ability to make it flow is his true gift. During “Have You Seen My Son?” Booker gets an assist from FIDLAR’s Elvis Kuehn on rhythm guitar. With Max Norton on drums and Alex Spoto on bass the trio’s sound is definitely thickened up with Kuehn in the lineup. A dueling solo outro to the song showcases both Booker and Kuehn’s abilities and makes for one of the more memorable tunes of the evening.
The band’s final three songs of the night show the group’s range and musicianship. The radio-ready “Violent Shiver” is primed for Top 40 consumption. Already getting spins on indie radio and drawing attention on the blogosphere, it’s arguably the band’s best-known track. It’s followed up by a stripped-down version of “I Thought I Heard You Screaming” in which Norton trades his drums for a mandolin and Spoto picks up a fiddle. The song has a back porch bluegrass feel that would go perfect with a tin cup filled with moonshine.
The evening’s finale is nothing more than an untitled extended jam session. Booker implores any member of the audience who has guitar skills to come up and join him, but with nobody taking his invitation Kuehn returns to back up Booker. During the eight-minute distorted cacophony Booker destroys one of his guitars in true rock star fashion. It’s a shame no one went up to have their moment in the spotlight next to Booker and company. The next time the band comes to town the intimacy will be gone because the audience will be much bigger and the room will be larger. The days of audience assists are rapidly winding down. Booker has arrived and it’s about time people start taking notice.
For more on Benjamin Booker go HERE and HERE.
Ian Joulain
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