Ben Drew returns with epic and dramatic album that fails to catch fire
In between a burgeoning movie career which includes acting, script writing and directing, Ben Drew has found time to release his first album in six years. To be fair, the man himself says he poured everything he had into Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose and it shows.
Originally trailed as "an art statement", this is an epic and impassioned album that addresses far more than Drew’s usual beat of urban decay, crime and societal dysfunction. He’s ratcheted up the simmering soul element in his always impressive voice (on opening track Grateful he sounds exactly like Gnarls Barkley) but he also embraces jumpy dancehall on Wait so Long and drum and bass on Heartbeat and the title track.
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However, it’s hard to get too excited about these musically flawless songs. The firebrand spirit and life or death rage that made Ill Manors and The Defamation of Strickland Banks so dangerous seems to have been dimmed as the album drifts into overwrought self-confessionals and grim jeremiads about the state of the world. Still that sandpapered growl of a voice is still as compelling as ever.
Alan Corr @corralan
