| 15 June 2009
Benjy Davis Project, a pop/rock band from Baton Rouge, delivers good old fashioned rock 'n' roll on their recent cd, "Dust." This well rounded southern-tinged rock album strikes me as having something for every rock fan. I say southern-tinged, because make no mistake, this band wears their roots on their sleeves. The occasional fiddle, banjo, and Hammond B3 pop up here and there in songs, but without the baggage of being a country band. Cliches aside, "Dust" is as american as apple pie, or better Bruce Springsteen.
Benjy is a storyteller with experiences to share, and a talented backing band to help him tell it. The single, "I Love You" is as catchy as any radio ready Jason Mraz song, telling the story of the ins and outs of just how much it hurts to be in love sometimes. "Same Damn Book" adds to that theme, exploring the relationships that just aren't working, in spite of how much effort you're putting into it. 
Who can't relate to that? "Sweet Southern Moon" has campfire-summer-jam written all over it: faint banjo, stories of good times, and a chorus I couldn't stop listening to. "The Rain" shares the woes of living in an imperfect world where you can't control everything going on around you, but proving that all it takes is a good beat and a guitar to power through.
My favorite track by far is "When I Go Home." It's easily lost in the second half of the CD, but it's a road-trip friendly jam about never quite feeling settled. Maybe that's why these guys are so big with the college crowd. "Dust" is all about feelin' good and being happy with what you got. There's beauty in simplicity. This is americana at it's best. I'll pass on the boot-up-your-ass country.
Note: These guys look like they're always on tour. They're worth catching when they come to town.
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