Ben Howard Every Kingdom ( vinyl LP )

Release date: 15-10-2011

2011 EU issue vinyl LP - A simple album with fine guitars a fine unique voice and a great range of tracks. The famous " The Wolves" track is a minute and half longer than the single version and is sandwiched either side by 9 other equally beautiful tracks. 

Tracks:
A1 Old Pine
A2 Diamonds
A3 The Wolves
A4 Everything
A5 Only Love

B1 The Fear
B2 Keep Your Head Up
B3 Black Flies
B4 Gracious
B5 Promise

Review
He describes himself as a keen surfer and recently gave a series of beachside gigs in aid of keeping Britains shores barefootfriendly but if youre about to parkour your way to any conclusions dont Ben Howard most certainly isnt the UKs answer to Jack Johnson

What he is on the evidence of this impressive debut album is a gifted and immediately involving singersongwriter The 23yearold from Devon or Devonshire as his record company rather selfconsciously refers to his home county has pretty diverse musical tastes he posts videos by artists as disparate as Paul Simon Aretha Franklin and Robyn on his personal blog However its the music of John Martyn and Bon Iver both of whom he listens to a lot that has a tangible impact on his sound

Thats right this fellas a folkie his musical tools are nimblyplucked guitar strings nearchoral backing harmonies percussion that feels pastoral rather than processed the evocative tones of India Bournes cello The term folkpop rather brings to mind JCB Song onehit wonders Nizlopi which Howards music rather does not but the lad does have a knack for a hook with its singalong chorus and positive sentiments current single Keep Your Head Up could almost be called a selfempowerment anthem

Radiofriendly it may be but theres nothing fey about Howards folk his uptempo numbers have the muscular momentum of a galloping stallion while his more subdued songs are underpinned by sinewy rhythms and a certain weightiness of theme For example the lovely Everything deals with the inevitability of renewal and change while the slowbuilding and panoramic Black Flies is essentially a breakup song

Whether hes singing about love or the world around him Howard invariably taps the natural world for imagery this is an album of horses and wolves the wind and the sea in which ones relative insignificance in the scheme of things is likened to being just a blade in the grass But what could seem clich d on the page has resonance on record thanks to the husky soulfulness of Howards voice and the sheer good nature of his songwriting By the time he uses the albums closing track to ask his paramour Who am I to you youre really hoping her answer is The One

Nick Levine BBC