ARTiST: Ben Hamilton
TiTLE: Ben Hamilton
LABEL: EMI
GENRE: Indie
TiME: 60:00 min
SiZE: 76,1 MB
BiTRATE: VBRkbps
RiP DATE: Aug-04-2006
RELEASE DATE: Aug-04-2006
WEBSiTE: n/a
Track List:
01. Sparrow's Blues 03:30
02. Backbreaker 04:22
03. Human 03:49
04. Chain Of Love 03:38
05. Bells 03:37
06. Billy The Clown 02:51
07. Indispensable 03:54
08. Durango 03:38
09. Radiationnation 03:35
10. Funfun 03:32
11. Hologram 03:02
12. Curtaincall 04:05
13. Rising 16:27
Release Notes:
The American writer John Irving once said that
literature should be better conceived than real
life. A truth that can also be applied to music.
What happens when one discovers that real life
experiences generally tell the best stories? The
singer songwriter Ben Hamilton knows. Born in
Oxford, Bens first musical experiences were made
while living in the commune his parents started. It
wasnt your run-of-the-mill eco-warrior-hippy commune
frequented by lost children. It was the second home
of the British cult band Traffic who would organise
late night jam sessions with other illustrious names
of the time (and not so illustrious ones!). Ben
lived there until he was three years old. His
eccentric painter father then, being swept by a
desire to capture light (!), promptly took Ben off
to Florence, Italy. It was there, surrounded by
frescos and mopeds, that he started to strum his
first chords on the guitar. At the tender age of 14
Bens world was turned upside down as he was sent to
study at an English boarding school (Stanbridge
Earls School). As it became clear to all concerned
that a traditional academic path was not an option,
Bens father gave him the opportunity to go to
Australia. He offered him a plane ticket and 100
pounds in the pocket . The rest was up to you my
son. In Australia, Ben worked first on a cattle
station and then as a doorman at a Sydney striptease
club. It was there that he started writing his first
songs. Due to low finances and an expiring visa, Ben
returned to Europe, and started busking his way
through London, Lisbon, Barcelona, Florence and
other European towns and cities, earning his first
taste of applause and a warm meal every night. In
Florence the German record producer/remixer Stefan
Fischer, who was on holiday at the time, caught one
of Bens sets in the Piazza Duomo. The meeting
resulted in Ben travelling to Berlin. The electronic
music which was being pioneered in Germany at the
time not only brought him into cooperation with
Wolfgang Brodauf (Vistacolor) but it also influenced
his song writing greatly. Aside from heading various
bands, Ben continued his singer songwriter career,
playing as support for Elliott Smith and Mark Eitzel
(American Music Club) among others. Having
eventually got a hold of a computer and taken
matters into his own hands, Ben recorded enough
material to fill three double albums plus bonus
tracks! Bens songs are direct and honest but never
one-dimensional. His voice is where the magic lies.
Still being faithful to his singer songwriter roots,
Ben always manages to surprise the listener, subtly
changing style thanks to the tasty use of loops and
sounds. His songs have substance, his texts are
honest, abstract and sometimes sad. The Hamilton
cosmos is not a takeaway; its a proper meal. Ben is
in his element when playing live and is a must for
live music fans. The years of busking have given him
a drive, stage presence and musical emotion which is
second to none and has to be seen in the flesh. Have
a listen!