[$5 // Edition of 20 // https://practicerecords.bandcamp.com/album/angelita-cry]
The most interesting aspect of this CD by Ben Clabault is perhaps the fact that it has two sides to it but I don't mean that in the same sense as a cassette or record because obviously a CD only has one side (Well, there are double sided DVDs, but I'm not saying literally here) but the first time I listened through this I did so without reading anything about it and then after I read the Bandcamp description everything changed.
On the surface, the songs of Ben Clabault are simply a man singing and strumming his acoustic guitar. In some sense it sounds like folk punk right off, but as it goes on you begin to feel as if it is something from the 1960's or just a different time as it has that sort of protest song vibe to it. Now, one of the songs does have a line about someone needing to take a leak but not looking for a bathroom so he just whips it out right there, but it's just that essence of the protest song.
After listening to these songs through the first time, I went back and listened to them again only this time I read the Bandcamp description. What I learned that surprised me was that these songs were all recorded straight to a laptop in one take. Perhaps I have grown too accustomed to other musicians, but the fact that there are not a large number of scraps on the floor from "Angelita Cry" really amazes me.
You expect that if there wasn't an outtake ("Oops, I messed up there") then at least there would be a verse or section that they would agree could perhaps use another go around, just so they could have a comparison point, like a director comparing scenes in a film. But when you think about this as being what it is- no room for errors- it is truly like watching someone paint live or just type freely. I know while writing this review, I had to backspace more than I'd care to admit and that just goes to show you how truly remarkable this CD is.
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