Ben Howard – Collections From The Whiteout (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:02:35 minutes | 1,15 GB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Universal-Island Records Ltd.
‘Collections From The Whiteout’ is the 4th album by Ben Howard, the critically acclaimed multi-platinum artist and global festival headliner; winner of 2 Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello. The new album features the singles ‘What A Day’ & ‘Sorry Kid’.
Ben Howard, who has sometimes been compared to José González due to their strikingly similar vocal timbres, continues in his neo-folk vein with Collections From the Whiteout, this time developing a rich dialogue with Aaron Dessner, guitarist and member of The National. After recording an experimental track, Santa Agnes, the two musicians decided to brave the adventure of a whole album, with Collections From the Whiteout being the rather successful end result. They are not alone for this project with each bringing along some fine musicians (Dessner invited keyboardist Thomas Bartlett, Howard his usual collaborators, India Bourne and Mickey Smith) as well as some notable guests: James Krivchenia from Big Thief and jazz drummer Yussef Dayes, who also helped write a few pieces (the sensual Crowhurst’s Meme and the much jazzier Sage That She Was Burning), providing a welcome breath of fresh air to the album. With these collaborations Howard opens up his style, regenerating it without compromising or losing himself. The uniqueness of Ben Howard’s voice infuses this record; the joyful solitude that can be felt when listening to some of the tracks, such as You Have Your Way or Sorry Kid, is reminiscent of Mark Kozelek and his band Red House Painters. Howard’s metaphysical incantations, to quote one of the album’s titles (Metaphysical Cantations), play with percussion and deconstructed rhythms, provoking a somewhat salutary, danceable imbalance and making Collections From the Whiteout a good treat for the ears. – Yan Céh
Tracklist:
1. Ben Howard – Follies Fixture (03:59)
2. Ben Howard – What A Day (05:16)
3. Ben Howard – Crowhurst’s Meme (03:44)
4. Ben Howard – Finders Keepers (02:49)
5. Ben Howard – Far Out (04:18)
6. Ben Howard – Rookery (02:31)
7. Ben Howard – You Have Your Way (04:25)
8. Ben Howard – Sage That She Was Burning (04:17)
9. Ben Howard – Sorry Kid (04:59)
10. Ben Howard – Unfurling (03:40)
11. Ben Howard – Metaphysical Cantations (04:21)
12. Ben Howard – Make Arrangements (04:25)
13. Ben Howard – The Strange Last Flight of Richard Russell (04:23)
14. Ben Howard – Buzzard (00:55)
15. Ben Howard – What A Day (Edit) (04:17)
16. Ben Howard – Sorry Kid (Edit) (04:08)
