Originally released in 2009, then remastered and reissued with some additional tracks some ten years later, here we find Ben fairly early in his recording career. These days Ben can be found during the day at Waiuku College, where he is head of music, but outside that he seems to spend every possible moment writing and recording as Channeled. Although there is a live band, he still tends to record everything himself, and that is obviously the case with this album back in 2009. The differences between his music from back then and his music now is that back then it was less focused, whereas today he understands exactly where he needs to be, and the result are songs which get into the cranium and stay there.
The album commences with an introduction od Ben walking along a gravel road, before we get into the title cut. In many ways this is the simplest song on the album, in that it starts with just Ben and an acoustic guitar, but as we all know there is no room to hide in that environment. Gradually the rest of the instruments come in, always with Ben’s clear vocals at the front. One can imagine Oasis performing this song in front of a stadium crowd in their heyday, although I cannot imagine them improving on it, as the guitar solo is just right, full of tension and enough distortion, so that when it opens up it makes total sense. The song ends as it begins, with just an acoustic. Some numbers, such as “Invisible”, are just wonderful pop, and the use of harmony vocals and an additional singer definitely adds to this. Slower numbers such as “Try, Try, Try” show Ben moving in a different musical direction, and it must be said that these do not work as well as they might, although when he turns up the guitar and turns it into a more powering number one can get a hint of what was to come with his later ventures.
Overall, this an interesting release, particularly for fans of Channeled, who will enjoy seeing the journey Ben has been on.
Rating: 7/10
Track list:
1. Intro
2. The Road
3. Invisible
4. Try Try Try
5. One Day at a Time
6. Leaving Song
7. I Wish
8. Sure, Tea?
