Canadian (Vancouver, B.C) singer-songwriter and actor, Ben Rogers has a lived in voice custom made for country Americana; music influences of Butch Hancock, Neil Young, Waylon Jennings and others (Tom Pacheco is another who comes to mind, such is his raw rustic tones) all being present in his music.
The Bloodred Yonder opens with the bustling steel guitar draped / twangy lead guitar piece “Wild Roses” and with rambling lyrics the adventure begins as Rogers and his band hit the boards running.
With lead guitar and honky tonk piano to the fore “Wanted” has Rogers bemoan the fact the girl he has his heart set on wants nothing to do with a man who is wanted by everyone from Uncle Sam to Jesus Christ by way of the law (and his landlord too)and a heap more or it seems to him. Its one of those songs that exude an avalanche of raw infectious untamed energy.
Poured over his vocals and lyrics steeped in earthy attributes you have layers of pedal steel, electric lead, bass guitar and a bustling rhythm as Rogers throws all he has at a few cuts. Like on the incessant paced “Panhandler”; Rogers is invariably at his best when he is pressing forward. A superb, wordy songwriter albeit his handling of the slow measured, heart-wrenching ballads need an additional listen or two before full appreciate of his efforts filtered through.
Best of the remaining tracks include “River”, and the chugging “Don’t Buy Me Roses”. While awash in homespun philosophy Rogers may not exactly come up smelling of them on “The More I Learn”, but he comes up trumps as he packs in more than most people obtain in ten songs. Containing a nod or two towards the singer-songwriter style of New York-born and much travelled Chip Taylor, so striking are the lyrics and the wonderful easy on your ear melody. I imagine there is a list of people, top songwriters who wished they could have written it. Top class. Final track “Darling Please” though measured, there is an enticing feel about the moody and dramatic finale it is a production for him to be justifiably proud of. Rogers world weary vocal telling of the song as he pleads for the return of his love portrays some finely worked vivid imagery, and in doing so he makes nonsense of my above quote regards his slower songs needing additional airings for them to strike home.
Players on the record, other than Ben (acoustic guitar, harmonica) include Matthew Rogers (guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion, autoharp, vibraphone), Matt Kelly (pedal steel, wurlitzer, piano, organ, vocals), Erik Nielsen (bass, vocals), Leon Power (drums, vocals), John Sponarski (electric guitar, vocals), Jesse Zubot (fiddle) plus vocalists Dawn Pemberton, Jody Peck and Debra-Jean Creelman.
Maurice Hope