CD Reviews

Originally recorded as 7 tracks the band have made five of these available to the public now and all five sound like the beginnings of something great despite being "captured down at the poolshack on our grandpa's ole 8-track cassette machine."

The Bensons on the Liberated Stage in 2005.

Firmly rooted in the notion of having a good time with some great music my experience of the Bensons up until now has always been that of a live band who are there to make you dance like a fool, a notion firmly supported by their mysterious origins and unique manner of dress (which changes wildly from Mexican bandits to World War Two soldiers and many other things dependent on the situation). However with these recordings they prove that not only do they have the style for a party they have the tunes too.

Mixing a good dose of 1970's style hard rock (especially with Larry Barry's ultra rich guitar texture) with a heavy splattering of funk (chiefly evident in their bass sound) they come storming out of Bensonville sounding like the bastard offspring of James Brown, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and any band you care to name from the 70's hard rock oeuvre, 'Backpack' is a great way to get ready to dance.

Clearly operating with a good sense of the humour reminiscent of British underground stalwarts Sack Trick, The Bensons offer a great remedy to the many bands who feel the need to have a message, be overly artistic in their playing or just fall into the angst fuelled style of many young bands post Nirvana.

This humour is evident throughout the EP but especially in the songs 'Funky Gibbon' (not to be confused with the Goodies 'classic' of the same name) and the tour de force of varying styles and sounds that is the "Franglais epic" 'L’Homme du Nois.'

The online version of the EP is rounded off by the song 'Senộr Reznộr' which again exhibits the bands unique style, although this time in a different way, with distorted vocals and a dark sound to the verses the feeling suddenly jumps and we are joined by a Mariachi band for the chorus parts complete with hand claps.

So in all not bad for four boys from Bensonville, and I for one can't wait to see what Barney-boy, Larry Barry, Chaddlebuck and Jefferson T. Doubleberry (Jnr) Benson can deliver on their upcoming debut album, tentatively titled "Tardrobe Wardis".