“What can you play now that’ll… leave me wanting more?”
Heir to a long legacy of gifted singer-songwriters, Brendan Benson writes smart pop. You won’t find bubblegum hooks here, but his songs are definitely catchy. They insinuate themselves into your brain: Two days after hearing one you’ll find yourself humming the refrain to yourself. And fans have had a lot of time to hum refrains from his last universally applauded album, Lapalco, which was released nearly three years ago. With the release of The Alternative to Love, they now have twelve new songs to hum along with. And how good are these new songs? Pretty superb. Alternative is a solid, complete, honest record, which nowadays is more than enough. Brendan’s sophomore full-length release is a hit.
Kicking off the album is “Spit It Out,” full of spirit and guitars, not to mention a great wailing chorus. There’s a more beautiful chorus on “Cold Hands Warm Heart,” which—despite the corny title—is a sweet, groove-y number that sways its way along. “I Feel Like Myself Again” is a told-you-so grinder that, with its rising refrain, exudes hope. And the title track is a winner, with textured layers of vocals, quick catchy lyrics, and a beautiful melody. This is perfect pop.
Then comes the second half of the CD, and what a powerful second side it is. “Pledge of Allegiance” is an homage to the Ronettes (“Be my, be my, be my little baby”) that could have ended up a complete fiasco but is instead a powerful, confident performance. Following that is “Them and Me,” an honest, straightforward song, stripped down to the bare bones—and yet oddly melodic in the most beautiful way—asking for something real, something more from the person he’s singing to (either someone else or maybe himself): “What can you show me that I haven’t already seen before/You can’t really know me when one foot’s in and one foot’s out the door.” It is a gorgeously haunting tune. The piano-dominated “Biggest Fan” is muted with tension, yet builds ever so slightly into a toe-tapping cacophony of melodies. “Flesh and Bone” and “What I’m Looking For” are particular favorites of mine—strong and moving.
Calexico, the Pretenders, and the Cars are referenced in Brendan’s press release as influences, but his old friends the Beatles aren’t forgotten about either, though their presence isn’t overpowering. This album feels like Brendan is finally letting go of something he’s been holding on to or chasing after, as if he’s starting to be himself again after a long time and having a great time doing it.