Ben's New Outfit

Ben Harper is touring with a new group and revealing a side of himself that may contrast with the crooner you're accustomed to.

In true artist fashion, he's reinvented himself. But not in a deliberate or calculated way. Rather, this feels like an organic transition to a musical arena that has influenced his music in the past but never quite so directly and with quite so much assertiveness as it does now. The guitars sound a little louder, the vocals a little looser and the drums a lot heavier. Ben Harper and The Relentless7 sing the blues and play rock 'n' roll.

It's edgier, grittier and much more forceful. One can sense upon first listen that this new outfit unleashes and enhances something that's been bubbling in Harper's consciousness for a long time. And from what I gathered when I saw them perform the other night, this new ensemble is having a damn good time taking the Blues by storm.

I do enjoy the old Ben Harper, but this is much more my style.