Info for Welcome To The Cruel World The aggressive, powerhouse sound singer/songwriter Ben Harper would introduce with his band the Innocent Criminals on 1998's „The Will To Live“ is not present on the artist's debut, „Welcome To The Cruel World“. Instead, this '94 album shines a spotlight on Harper's acoustic guitar, plaintive voice, and soulful folk songs. Harper's intensity as a performer is clear from the opening guitar instrumental 'The Three of Us' (which commands attention with its subtle, simple repetitions) to 'I'll Rise,' a gospel-inflected interpretation of Maya Angelou's poem 'And Still I Rise.' Sonically, the record is of a piece, with understated dynamics and an emphasis on intimate, acoustic, bluesy folk-rock. But Harper impresses most with his penchant for incorporating a range of stylistic influences, such as the late-'60s reggae cast of 'Breakin' Down' and the Cajun-country romp of 'Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now.' Moreover, Harper strikes an admirable balance between songs that address issues of social injustice ('Like a King') and those that touch on personal concerns of love and identity ('Pleasure and Pain'). This combination, on top of Harper's obvious musical talents, makes for an impressive, thoroughly enjoyable first effort. „The full range of Ben Harper's influences would not come to bear until later albums, but his debut, Welcome to the Cruel World, lays a strong foundation. 'Like a King' and 'Take That Attitude to Your Grave' burn with a political conviction rarely heard during the 1990s. 'Forever' has a tenderness which demonstrates Harper's emotional range. Lackluster hippie jams that cultivated his early following may have served a purpose but feel fluffy by comparison when compared to the meatier tracks. Ben closes the album with a song that frequently closes his concerts, 'I'll Rise.' This song, built around Maya Angelou's 1979 poem 'And Still I Rise,' reminds one of art's ability to pierce through society, self, and the soul.“ (Ryan Randall Goble, AMG) Ben Harper, vocals, multiple instruments Richard Cook, Uillean pipes John McKnight, bass, accordion Rock Deadrick, percussion, drums, background vocals Tommy D. Daugherty, drum programming Clyde Allen, background vocals Clarence Butler, background vocals Clabe Hangan, background vocals Jelani Jones, background vocals Ken McDaniel, background vocals John Taylor, background vocals Kevin Williams, background vocals Suzie Katayama, cello Recorded 1994 at The Convent, London Engineered by Mikal Reid Produced by Ben Harper, J.P. Plunier Digitally remastered _________________________________________________________________________________ Artist : Ben Harper Album : Welcome To The Cruel World Year : 1994 Genre: Rock Composer: Various Quality : Flac HRA 24bits/192.0kHz Label: Capitol Source : highresaudio HRA-Release: 14.04.2016 Size : 2,00gb Tracklist 01 The Three Of Us 02 Whipping Boy 03 Breakin' Down 04 Don't Take That Attitude To Your Grave 05 Waiting On An Angel 06 Mama's Got A Girlfriend Now 07 Forever 08 Like A King 09 Pleasure And Pain 10 Walk Away 11 How Many Miles Must We March 12 Welcome To The Cruel World 13 I'll Rise Total Runtime: 50:41 Download Link: Hidden Content: You must reply before you can see the hidden data contained here.
