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Album Details

• Artist: Ben Harper
• Album: Both Sides of the Gun
• Label: Virgin
• Year of Release: 2006
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2006-05-17

I've seen some pretty harsh reviews on Both Sides of the Gun, warranting me to remedy the situation. This is one of the better double album efforts I've heard. Ben chooses to do the soft/hard split and both of these CDs contain some of the best music that Harper has written. If you are put off by this on first listen the you really need to spend another couple listens on this album.
Disc 1 - This is the mellower disc of the batch. It is also the most heartfelt with some very impressive "ballads", for lack of a better word. Easily one of the most beautiful songs Harper has ever written is the sad "Reason To Mourn". I might even venture to say that it is one of the most honest songs I have heard in ages. The whole disc is quite sombre but in reality, it just comes off as an honest testament of Harper's songwriting ability. The skill to write songs like this are very rare but Ben obviously possesses this talent.
Disc 2 - This is the funkiest I've ever heard Harper. The disc starts out with "Better Way", easing us into the funky side of things. Tell me that the title track isn't a funkfest. Then Ben breaks into "Engraved Invitation", the best track that the Rolling Stones never wrote. I find it quite amazing to hear an entire album of these upbeat funky tracks. Harper is talented indeed. If there were any faults on this album it might be some of the latter part of this disc.
Again, it seems as though the critics were a little harsh on Ben for Both Sides Of The Gun but really, this is one of the biggest accomplishments of his career.

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