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ALBUM: This Time Tomorrow // ARTIST: James Bennett
Emodying the sonic essences of Bob Dylan and John Butler with a modern twist, alt-roots/folk visionary James Bennett paints a starkly stunning wonderland with the release of his third album This Time Tomorrow.
With two years between releases for Newcastle folkster James Bennett, time has not wearied this young gun and his intrinsic knack for weaving stunning earworms soaked in folk, steel string guitar and a voice that'll make you swear Bennett is Bob Dylan's long lost son. And inspired by Dylan's writing and the guitar work of John Butler, Bennett's third album This Time Tomorrow brings a poetic twist of fate to the table, coming to life after a chance Facebook friend suggestion with ex-John Butler drummer and percussionist Michael Barker.
"[Michael Barker] popped up on my Facebook page as a suggested friend, I’d been thinking about who to contact to play drums/ percussion so I reached out to him in a message to see if he’d be keen to come to Aus to record.To my total disbelief he was not only keen to play on the songs but invited me to record with him at his home studio in Rotorua/NZ” - James Bennett.
Kicking off in style, This Time Tomorrow lets down its sonic hair with opening ditty Rapunzel, chock full of bluegrass fingerpicking and tramping percussion as Bennett's effortless vocals tangle with the steel strings coiling underneath. Up next, Secret Place hits a personal note, detailing Bennett's travels while also granting intimate access into his sacred happy place via warm instrumentation and roaming melodics.
Bennett's journey continues with Third Time Around, complete with jaunty organs adding a taste of vintage flair to the sturdy beats and flitting vocals, before lead single Weird World goes full John Butler Trio with quirky percussion and jangly basslines traipsing cosily alongside Bennett's silky drawl.
WEIRD WORLD (JAMES BENNETT)
Dipping into slightly more melancholic waters, Gypsy Love marks the mid-point for This Time Tomorrow, crafting up a denser sonic backdrop amid wispy harmonies and plodding grooves, while Waves lives up to its name lolling gently across a brew of metallic tones and simplistically rich undertones.
The remaining album continues in similar charming fashion, bolstering country twangs and Americana licks (Sunset, Time Will Come) before closing track What's Left Of Me throws in some harmonica and an emboldened vocal outing from Bennett that conjures the sensation of finally coming home after a long and dusty journey.
Ultimately with This Time Tomorrow, James Bennett has emerged stronger than ever, both from a writing and performance perspective while also verifying his standing as one of the most polished and genial artists in town. And while it's easy to draw attention to Bennett's young age wielding such cultivated musical delights, it's simply a case of an artist completely in control and comfortable in their own sonic skin. This Time Tomorrow is like a warm hug to the ears and the soul, and I guarantee that this time tomorrow you'll still be humming one of Bennett's dreamy tunes.
JAMES BENNETT'S THIRD STUDIO ALBUM THIS TIME TOMORROW IS OFFICIALLY OUT IN THE WORLD NOW, AND HE'LL BE TAKING HIS NEW RELEASE ON THE ROAD IN LATE SEPTEMBER WITH A STRING OF SHOWS ON THE EAST COAST.
FOR MORE INFO, HEAD HERE.
GYPSY LOVE (JAMES BENNETT)
BY TIANA SPETER