Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
America, the new full-length album from singer/songwriter Ben Lorentzen, begins with a dark an ominous track entitled “American Revolution.” This sort of haunting and chilling tone sets the scene for the rest of the album which features some passionate lyrics, interesting musical arrangements and chilling effects. Lorentzen’s voice matches his lyrics. They are very deep and heartfelt—as heard on “The Ugliest Girl in the World,” which is a powerful track featuring the verse, “I love her, I love her, I love her. I need her, I need her, I need her. I want her, I want her, I want her. She is the ugliest girl in the world.”
Lorentzen has seen his share of success over the course of his career. He has collaborated with some big names in the music business like Brian Hardgroove and Rie Tsuji. That notoriety netted him gigs at a one of New York City’s finest venues—The Hammerstein Ballroom. He calls his type of music and performance “Acoustic Pop Noir,” which seems like a fine title considering most of the structure of the songs.
Throughout the album it is easy to hear the confidence and the musical IQ that Lorentzen possesses. He has built a collection of tracks that are contemplative and full of melancholy but never feels desperate. They aren’t words of redemption or self-pity—they are words of tremendous growth. America may be Lorentzen’s best work to date.
