/Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_zrv5nwjqhmq3dl45li2ajh45_546903f6-9f60-4aa9-802b-bb8138d8ff24_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 26 May 2013 05:25:05 GMT 15 By Drew Lane

Ben Sollee released his first album, “Learning to Bend,” in 2008, and it is now leaving the shelves at local music stores. I recommend going to get this album before it is gone. It is definitely worth a listen. As an avid fan, I am always more prone to criticize his newer albums. However, with this album I have found nothing to criticize. He plays the cello like it is a guitar, cello, and a drum all at the same time. Sollee played with only two other musicians on his CD. One has a violin, and another is playing a small snare drum. Sollee is also very good at creating rhythm within his music. My favorite song of his, “A Change is Gonna Come,” has a very deep cello beat. Sollee actually adds depth by beating on the cello with his palms. He creates a dynamic beat with a backbone through this technique. It truly is a musical experience that cannot be paralleled. Along with the music, Sollee has a knack for writing lyrics. Every line he uses means something or builds upon the importance of the story within the song. His genius is shown in the song, “Bury Me With My Car.” While the style of the song is a little bluegrass-y, the lyrics are priceless. He really knows how to make his lyrics mesh with the beat. The power of Sollee’s music is not within the music, it is actually within his lyrics. Sollee is generally a member of the singer/songwriter genre, but I believe he doesn’t belong to a certain genre. His style of music is unique. Growing up in Kentucky, Sollee was influenced by Appalachian music. He also learned classical music as a child, but he continued playing with his own twist. He also came from a musical family, which means each of his family members’ styles is incorporated into the way he plays. Sollee’s music is certainly one-of-a-kind, and I definitely recommend listening to it. His CDs are available on iTunes, and you can purchase any of his music or t-shirts on bensollee.com. This is definitely a five-anchor album. ]]> Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:59:10 GMT