Ben Harper

'Lifeline'

Tasteful, uplifting guitar mastery - John Mayer, take notes.

Spin Rating6 of 10

After last year's Both Sides of the Gun, an ambitious double album split into snappy blues and pensive, symphonic soul, Ben Harper eases into a more fluid, evenly paced groove on his eighth LP. Recorded in Paris in a week with his band, the Innocent Criminals, Lifeline is a commanding, unjammy take on gospel-influenced rock, featuring his most spiritual singing since 2004's Grammy-winning collaboration with the Blind Boys of Alabama. But his finest moment comes on the instrumental "Paris Sunrise #7," which starts with a sparse ripple of slide guitar and builds into a lush visual sonnet. 

Now Hear This:
Ben Harper - "In the Colors" DOWNLOAD MP3

By Stacey Anderson

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