Brendan Benson

4/5
My Old, Familiar Friend
Brendan Benson was doing just fine by himself before Jack White came along, thank you. The Michigan-based musician cut three delicious slabs of power-pop lunch meat before joining The Raconteurs. That supergroup’s success has led to a wider audience, a bigger label and a better producer (Gil Norton of Pixies fame) for this trip across the ’70s AM-radio dial. Such is the retro ambience that you get the sense the title refers to no flesh-and-blood buddy, but some battered guitar or Fleetwood Mac LP.

Bleacher-stomping glam, la-la-la sing-alongs, string-drenched soul, California balladry and heartland disco are all masterfully carved from the kind of organic sound that can only come from a guy with a fetish for vintage gear. Benson applies organs and ooohs like wood panelling to the sides of cars. It’s pure warm, fuzzy nostalgia, but we challenge 2009 to produce a catchier rock song than ‘A Whole Lot Better’ or ‘Poised And Ready’ or ‘Don’t Want To Talk’ or… man – with talent like this, how come The Raconteurs weren’t amazing?
Brent DiCrescenzo
Available online.