Plan B - The Defamation of Strickland Banks

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The sweetest of revelations

On his second album Ben Drew lives up to his stage name: changing from London rapper to soul boy with total conviction.

And conviction is what '...Strickland Banks' is all about as Drew tells the story of how a singer winds up doing a stretch for a crime he didn't commit.

Like the best concept records, you don't have to follow the narrative if you don't want to - the songs are strong enough to stand alone.

Watch the video for 'She Said'.

Now and again Drew goes back to rap (when he lets rip on 'Stay Too Long' it's awesome) but for most of this album his vocals are the sweetest of revelations.

Floor fillers, guts and attitude galore, Drew now has the nicest of problems: how to top this.

Harry Guerin

Tracklisting: Love Goes Down - Writing's on the Wall - Stay Too Long - She Said - Welcome to Hell - Hard Times - The Recluse - Traded in My Cigarettes - Prayin' - Darkest Place - Free - I Know a Song - What You Gonna Do