LOWER comes as the newest release from American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Benjamin Booker. His first release in nearly 8 years, this record blends an incredible smorgasbord of influences into a cohesive package produced by long-time collaborator Kenny Segal.
Kicking off the record comes the track “BLACK OPPS,” which demonstrates the variegated and eclectic sound that will unfold throughout the rest of the project. I find the composition and layering of this track incredibly captivating as it blends distorted guitar tones with deep bassy electronic drums giving the track an almost rap-rock sound. The chaos of the instrumentation and dark lyrical themes are juxtaposed with Booker’s soft vocals possibly hinting at modern perceptions/desensitization toward violence (oddly enough, the track’s subject matter was heavily influenced by his experiences playing the newest Call of Duty installment). I also found the chorus harmonizations incredibly lush and immersive.
Continuing the tumultuous instrumentation from the opener, “LWA IN THE TRAILER PARK” follows. This track employs similar drums and distorted guitar tones (sounding especially post rock-esque here) to the previous track but there’s a notable underlying synth that adds quite a bit of tension to the track. Most notably, I found this track very expressive lyrically with Booker addressing stigmas around growing up in a trailer park while drawing from his own experiences. The outro felt especially evocative with lyrics alternating between “I wanna live a good life” and “no one will ever love me.” Overall, this track marked an incredible high point on the record for me.
Returning moreso to his stylistic roots, “POMPEII STATUES” proceeds. Stylistically, this track feels more adjacent to tracks from his previous record Witness, with a slightly more traditional blues style. Nevertheless, I think the scaled down instrumental and production really lets Booker’s vocals come to the forefront of this track. His soft melancholic vocals paint a fascinating picture of the streets of (presumably) LA, likening the dead and debris to the victims of Pompeii. Although the chorus fell a bit short to me on this track (feels quite worn out by the end), I still find it an enjoyable listen.
Keeping up with the blues-oriented style, “SLOW DANCE IN A GAY BAR” follows on the track list. There’s a notable emphasis placed on production in this track with a choppy acoustic guitar sample layered over soft percussion. While I like the more unconventional approach instrumentally, I felt that the vocals and instrumental clashed somewhat and threw off the smoother vocal delivery. Nonetheless I did find the track to be compelling lyrically with its themes of self-realization in the context of his sexuality.
Returning stylistically to some of the earlier tracks on the record, “SPEAKING WITH THE DEAD” is next. Much like the name implies, the track feels incredibly eerie and sinister with rich basslines, distorted guitar tones, and pitched down vocals. This tone is matched by the cryptic lyrics that depict Booker’s struggles to thrive amidst the nightmarish world he describes. Rounding out the second half of the track is an extended ambient section that feels particularly unnerving which I found to be incredibly immersive. If I were to offer a minor critique it would only be that the lyrical section felt a bit short (but even still this is a relatively minor point).
The following track presents an interesting visual with its title, “REBECCA LATIMER FELTON TAKES A BBC,” which references a former American politician and writer who was vehemently pro-slavery in the 1920s (and evidently a fan of British journalism). I found this track quite perplexing and borderline uncomfortable at times lyrically with its sexual undertones and references to subjects like slavery (although I can see how this could be intentional). There’s also a notable return to the acoustic sound presented in “POMPEII STATUES” with a sudden shift to the math/post rock style electric guitar during the final bridge section. While I don’t inherently dislike this track, it’s just not for me.
The record tilts in a more poppy direction with the following track “NEW WORLD.” Instrumentally, the track tends moreso toward minimalism with a choppy soft piano sample and lively percussion. This minimalistic approach brings the vocals to the forefront which feel especially pleasing here. I found the pre-chorus and the chorus to be some of the strongest parts of the track, with both showcasing excellent beautiful harmonizations. While it doesn’t take a ton of risks, this track delivers an overall solid vocal performance and serves as an easy listen.
In what feels like a culmination of the previous tracks, “SAME KIND OF LONELY,” continues the track list. This track marks my personal favorite on the record for how it seems to blend stylistic features from previous tracks like post rock style guitar riffs, lush chorus harmonizations, and rich percussion. I also love how the track presents escapism from both a social/romantic perspective as well as a broader lifestyle. Both lyrically and sonically this track is absolute ear candy and serves as a massive high point for me.
Drawing on more pop styles and influences, “SHOW AND TELL” comes next. The track feels a bit out of place thematically and sonically on the record given the upbeat soft acoustic riffs and romantic themes (although there is some familiar distortion during the choruses). Although it doesn’t feel quite as personal or introspective as other tracks, I do find the vocal delivery to be pleasant with a catchy chorus, so the track is still a solid listen overall.
Embodying similar styles and themes to the previous track, “HEAVY ON MY MIND” follows. Instrumentation and lyrics seem to follow a very consistent line from the previous track discussing themes of loving devotion in a soft acoustic singer-songwriter-esque package. There wasn’t a ton that particularly blew me away on this track, although I did really enjoy the repetition during the outro. I found the vocal performance in this part to be particularly evocative, packing a ton of emotion in the subtle changes in vocal inflections/cadence.
Finally, the record closes on an incredible note with “HOPE FOR THE NIGHT TIME.” Leaning heavily into his blues style, this track tells a melancholic tale of struggles with alcohol abuse with a message of remaining hopeful amidst life’s dark periods. The beautiful instrumentals on the track feature soft electronic drums, soft basslines, and uplifting keys during the choruses. Equally as beautiful was Booker’s vocal performance here. I loved his delivery during the 2 main verses and how much emotion he packs into the story he’s trying to tell. The emotion with which he delivers the choruses (especially my favorite line “life is contagious”) was stunning. This track is a beautiful closer to a masterful project.
This project was my first introduction to Benjamin Booker and after several listens I can confidently say that I am beyond blown away by its quality and uniqueness. The diversity of sound and influences throughout this project is immense, and yet Booker is still able to stay true to his stylistic roots of past projects. I loved the blending of soft blues vocals with industrial post rock guitars and electronic drums/synths which felt incredibly unique and fresh. While there were a few tracks toward the end that felt a bit out of place or so-so, the higher points of the record more than make up for these moments. The attention and recognition I’ve seen for this record is nowhere near what it should be, and I highly recommend a full listen of this masterpiece.
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