Rich Bennett - DiBenedetto

by Lisa Torem

published: 25 / 1 / 2014

Label: Rich Bennett
Format: CDS

Stunning combination of orchestral music and vintage rock on new EP from Brooklyn-based experimental musician, Rich Bennett, which was inspired by him visiting his ancestral homeland of Sicily

Review

Rich Bennett inadvertently returned not only to his ancestral home but to his beloved musical roots when visiting Sicily. There he discovered that his sir name was “DiBenedetto” and afterwards he returned to “his first love” the guitar, after consuming himself with production and synth ventures and singing for Monocle. Bennett’s sojourns into the magnificent countryside inspired him to create a fascinating, collection, a five-pack of instrumental compositions. With the help of producer Scott Solter, his electric guitar rings out delectably, as opposed to his previous album, also highly original, but which was awash with multi-textures. The first track is an Ennio Morricone cover, ‘II Grande Silenzio’. Imagine if the Ventures and Philip Glass sat down to brainstorm a singular theme and you get the picture. It’s a stunning fusion of contemporary orchestral sound and vintage fare. Bennett has a unique flair for combining unorthodox textures and making them effortlessly soar. His second serving, ‘Lee’s Summit’ is more uptempo, twangy, bright and pulsating. The melody becomes coy and flirtatious. Impossible to ignore, it snares your every sense. ‘Narcissus’ is like a Gregorian chant, which underlies a tailor-made melody. Jesse Krakow dominates this composition with his earthy, combative bass. ‘Cianciana’ shimmers and undulates. It is unarguably sexy; an echo chamber of multi-layered phraseology with an invincible thread of longing. ‘Oss’ is governed by sparse piano and chromatic complexity. It is subtle, chillingly slow and convincing. This EP is a gem. Bennett surprises us each time he picks up an instrument, and although he asserts that his passion is for guitar, he plays equally well on a host of other instruments. More to the point, his compositional skills are awe-inspiring. All he needs is the film-noir writer and he’s off to the races.