The tight, shaking strum of the rhythm guitar brings out the groove on “Get the Lead Out,” and while he may have no connection to the Jam Band scene, Benjamin Olson’s White Window combines blues, rock, folk, and funk rhythms like typical Jam Bands. Based in Nashville, Olson’s album isn’t a stranger to Country influences, but when the snare pattern kicks in on the balladic “3D Rocket Ride,” it brings in a groove found more at Bonnaroo than at the Grand Olde Opry.
“Cheap Date” jams with mandolin and great drum breaks, a vamp on some bluegrass pattern beneath it all. “Business” riffs on the blues with acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, and keyboards trolling for a deeper sound. “Rain Check” has a Jam Band way of playing on a R&B form while never betraying the Rock.
It’s songs like “The Sky is Falling” and “Run Away” that recall much more of Olson’s Nashville surroundings. They’re not country songs, but they have big choruses and country pop-like styling. Olson’s strength comes on the grooving jam songs—having rhythms and uniqueness which he needs to bring to the country/folk ballads.
Thankfully, though, Olson’s still independent. White Window is self-released, and the title track is like an homage to this fact. It is an instrumental piano song with odd keyboard calliope effects just barely peeking in between the piano’s melodic, playful, but slightly hesitant line. There’s just enough ambient noise from the piano to let you know Olson’s just sitting down at the piano, microphone close at hand, catching a song that is either coming out of some late night or early morning. It might be embarrassing to see Olson in his skivvies, wiping the sleep out of his eyes, yawning as he stretches his fingers on the keys like morning calisthenics, but you’ve just got the audio, capturing a very plaintive moment that would be gone from the album in the hands of a major label looking to pigeon-hole, categorize, market, and develop an image. Again, thankfully, Olson had the freedom to include this track, a glimpse into the world of the songwriter. The CD artwork is a collage of images and objects, and “White Window” is a track in the middle of the disc which serves to be like a glue holding the musical collage of styles and sounds together.
As soon as the keyboard sounds of “White Window” fade, the drum machine kicks up the beat for “Suddenly,” a jazz funk acoustic rocker akin to John Mayer. With a clever lyric and its inviting rhythm, it’s the kind of song that catches your attention in this collage. Benjamin Olson has collected a lot of pieces here, and as long as he keeps collecting, he’s going to keep putting together songs like “Suddenly” which will move you—foot-tapping, head-nodding, heart-beating, and soul-shaking.
Thanks to Benjamin Olson and Echo Music for the review CD.
