[.ca] Burn To Shine

From Amazon.co.uk:
Ben Harper's musical eclecticism has been well established, but what often goes unnoticed is that few musicians possess such an expansive emotional range. And those complex, unsettled emotions never seem to come one at a time; instead, they are layers to be peeled and reassembled. When the mood is ominous, you still sense an urgent hopefulness around the bend, and even on a jaunty Dixieland number like "Suzie Blue", with its playful trombone and clarinet, you can see the clouds on the horizon. The tension may not always be overt, but it's never lower than just below the surface. Angry, aggressive metal rants; bruising, bombastic, operatic rockers; light-hearted Caribbean grooves; strutting Southern boogie; deep country soul; and delicate acoustic folk play out like scenes within a Byzantine film. Harper's soulful moans, agonised groans, and earth-shaking whispers narrate this battle between shadows and light, and his sonic war zone is as dynamic, detailed, and diverse as it's ever been. As weighty as but more personal than its three predecessors, Burn to Shine has the sensation of grandeur that seems to accompany all of Harper's work, but it's more than a delusion. --Marc Greilsamer

Amazon.com essential recording:
Ben Harper's musical eclecticism has been well established, but what often goes unnoticed is that few musicians possess such an expansive emotional range. And those complex, unsettled emotions never seem to come one at a time; instead, they are layers to be peeled and reassembled. When the mood is ominous, you still sense an urgent hopefulness around the bend, and even on a jaunty Dixieland number like "Suzie Blue," with its playful trombone and clarinet, you can see the clouds on the horizon. The tension may not always be overt, but it's never lower than just below the surface. Angry, aggressive metal rants; bruising, bombastic, operatic rockers; lighthearted Caribbean grooves; strutting Southern boogie; deep country soul; and delicate acoustic folk play out like scenes within a Byzantine film. Harper's soulful moans, agonized groans, and earth-shaking whispers narrate this battle between shadows and light, and his sonic war zone is as dynamic, detailed, and diverse as it's ever been. As weighty as but more personal than its three predecessors, Burn to Shine has the sensation of grandeur that seems to accompany all of Harper's work, but it's more than a delusion. --Marc Greilsamer

Chronique amazon.fr:
Depuis son premier CD, Ben Harper a bougé. Sa voix s'inscrit dans une filiation où Marley et Hendrix rejoignent Otis Redding, dans "Show Me Little Shame". Manifestement, Harper s'amuse tout au long des douze plages, fouinant ici avec une prière rude, "The Woman In You", pour s'assagir ensuite dans un plus paisible "Forgiven". Là, c'est avec le Ben Harper des premiers albums que l'on a rendez-vous, quand le blues du Delta était encore au coin de la rue. Alors Ben appuie sur la pédale wah wah. Un solo d'évidence s'échappe, Hendrix en aurait béni chaque note. En route, nous aurons croisé l'histoire des "Suzie Blue" dans un bouge dixieland, goûté un air de campagne avec le très country "In The Lord's Arms", puis flirté inévitablement avec un groove hip hop, "Steal My Kisses", pour sceller le funk et un album qui défiera sans doute les fans. Ils pourront cependant l'aborder en confiance. --José Ruiz

Harper's soulful musical mix continues to defy genre categorization and his growth as an artist continues to amaze. Burn to Shine is his most ambitious work to date, tapping a multitude of styles and moods and revolving as usual around his incredibly expressive vocals and searing guitar work. --Marc Greilsamer

Gentleman looking for gentlewoman.:
Why Ben Harper isn't more famous I'll never know. Maybe it's because the music industry doesn't know how to classify him. Forget the classifications. Ben Harper is one of the best musicians alive. The military drum, combined with his voice is amazing on "alone". The "woman is me" explodes at just the right time. I don't really like "less", but that's just my opinion, it doesn't mean it doesn't have any musical worth. Some of the lyrics on "Two Hands" are just without peer. "Suzie Blue" is perfect if only for the lead in to "Steal my kisses". Some Ben Harper Loyalist don't like steal my kisses because it sounds "studioized". I admit there's a lot going on in the song musically, but that's why I like it. You can't hold his genius back. It can shine in a roots or a heavily studio produced song. The background singers, just being slightly behind the lead vocals on steal my kisses is awesome. My favorite song is "Show me a little Shame". Get this album, you won't regret it.

Y'all on drugs:
Seriously, I think this is Ben's best or second best album! Fight for your mind might be better, but i definetly think that this album is better than Diamonds on the Inside, The Will to Live, and Welcome to the Cruel World. From the dark but great "Alone", to the beautiful "Woman in you", to the catchy "Steal my Kisses", this album is great!

Even Better Than "Fight For Your Mind":
I loved this album the first time I heard it.... not too many artists can match the versatility on this album. Definitely better than "Fight For Your Mind" (I'd rate that at 4.5/5.0), which doesn't have the likes of the rocking, riff-filled "Less". "Alone", "Woman in You", "Two Hands of a Prayer" (really expressive vocals on this number), "Show Me a Little Shame", "Please Bleed" are the outstanding numbers (not in that order), but all the rest are also great. Such a refreshing change from the mainstream crap. Ben Harper defines the meaning of the "Alternative" genre.

Doesn`t Shine All That Much:
A decent, yet unconvincing, rock/soul/folk/blues album, "Burn to Shine" manages to deliver some good songs here and there (the crestfallen "Alone", the energic "Less" or the intense "Please Bleed"), but fails to rise above middle-of-the road territory. Basically an hit-and-miss effort, the record really runs out of steam on its last part, presenting some boring, tedious and unappealing ballads. Ben Harper is an alright singer and performer, still this release isn`t one of his best moments (neither is it the worst, since his debut album was one of the more dull things I`ve heard). Competent yet not very challenging.

Ben Harper rocks out:
Harper is one of the best lyricists out there and this album, like Fight For Your Mind, represents him at his creative zenith. The messages he has conveyed throughout his career are not only admirable but expressed with more passion and beauty than most artists are capable of delivering. He's brillant at covering a range of familiar emotions without making them sound trite and rehashed, giving them a new twist. While all the songs are interesting, "The Woman In You," "Please Bleed," "Alone," "Beloved One," "Steal My Kisses," "Burn to Shine," and "Forgiven" stand out. "Less" and "Please Bleed" are heavier, rock-out songs; "Alone" is almost depressing (but great).

	Custom Search