hiimfred's Full Review: Diamonds on the Inside [Digipak] by Ben Harper
Having listened to Ben Harper’s previous album, Welcome to the Cruel World, I felt that it wasn’t as good as I had first thought of it. Yes, there were quality songs that I truly came to love but the rest of the album I found to be similar and repetitive. My sister was anxious when she brought home Diamonds on the Inside and I was excited because I wanted to compare.
I had to steal it from her at night, night after night, in order to ensure she didn’t realize it was missing. As I listened, I found most songs to grow on me if they already hadn’t become good ones to me. As apposed to the other album, this is completely diverse. Every song is a bit different than the next with different themes as well.
I seem to prefer this album to the other, obviously. Others might disagree with me, but those are the people that have been a fan of his since forever and a day. I have heard of him for a long time but never had actually heard a piece of music of his until six months ago. Odd, huh?
With My Own to Hands opens the album with a more of a funky reggae feel, bringing us into it nicely. The theme of changing the world simply because he is doing it is interesting, but it’s obvious that he’s calling of everyone else to think the same way. Perhaps then peace will be achieved. *Shrugs* Anyways. It’s a well-done song and the touch of the electric guitar is out of the norm for Harper, but a nice addition. The only thing I heard that bothered me was the background harmony. It didn’t sound very good. I just wish he’d say a little more than reinstating himself throughout the whole thing.
Returning to the traditional bluegrass and rhythm tracks known to Harper, When it’s Good is a perfectly energetic song. You stomp your feet along with the acoustic jamming and sing along with Harper’s falsetto. Definitely a soulful song that I could easily see sung in a large group of people. Just clap your hands along and enjoy yourself.
Diamonds on the Inside, title track, is a little slower with a sweeping feel. The rising and falling of the verse is enthralling and then it perfectly builds to the mellow chorus. I believe this to be among the best on the CD and in his career. A wonderful song about a woman’s inner beauty shinning as though it were a diamond. For a girl, it’s nice to see men really appreciating that.
A surging song of the electric guitar is what Touch from Your Lust is. An interesting break from what I had known Harper to be. It has an experimental feel with many interesting effects going on throughout the song. The guitar has an interesting sliding and echo effect which then is even more prominent when Ben’s voice becomes “electronic” during the chorus. No, it’s not an incredible song, but it’s enjoyable.
When She Believes is a beautiful song with the accordion gracing the background along with an amazing orchestra looming above the guitar. This is a profound love song praising a woman and how this one woman in particular creates a whole new and amazing feeling when “she believes in” him. The instrument that sticks out to me the most, besides the accordion, is the harp. It strums with such beauty and almost gives me the feeling that this woman is an angel perhaps.
I have heard a million violins crying
Fore-fronted by an addictive beat and then the funky bass once again, Brown Eyed Blues kicks up the energy once more. This is definitely a song to get you moving. It’s a blues song about “unrequited” love of sorts, but definitely a somber attitude is avoided with this kind of up beat song.
Again with the electric beat, Bring the Funk starts off. For a second I thought he was going to start singing, Play that funky music white boy. Hey, I would’ve laughed. Be sure to pass me the funk and then come over and jive with me. Basically this is what the song is about. Get up and dance and enjoy yourself. It’s a surface level song of sorts, but fun and loving yourself.
Stay black
Stay white
Stay brown
Get on down
Bringing the blue grass again, Everything is a slower song with more of a sour note. The electric piano raises the emotion in this particular song and the organ just furthers it. The sour feel is gone with the sweet message of loving “everything” about a girl. Aww. The lead kicks in with a wonderful southern touch and I can easily see this song playing in the background of a bar, but a classy bar. Sure the chorus is simple, but enjoyable.
You’re my first thought in the morning
When I rise
And you’re my last thought in the evening
When I rest my head at night
Amen Omen is quite a profound song and it builds with such suspense. With muffled drum beats below the sweet guitar and chord producing piano flows incredibly with Harper’s beaten voice. I believe that this song can easily become an anthem for anyone, or more logically put, a prayer. Many can connect because it’s with the familiar theme of love lost and needed. His play on words and phrases are so intelligent.
Silence is the loudest
Parting word
You never say
Temporary Remedy is an incredibly strong rock and roll song originating in the south. Harper belts out his lyrics and the electric guitar just reiterates the feel. After a while I found this particular song to get a bit annoying. I don’t enjoy yelling all that much, but it was moderate. For a second, I heard an essence of Jimi Hendrix and I know how people get. They don’t like to see imitations, but all I saw was the influence. It was a nice blend.
So High So Low song is definitely one that takes you by surprise. It starts off sweetly with a beautiful orchestra but then the next thing you know, the electric guitar is blaring in your ears. I’m sure it’s reinitiating the theme, “high and low.” It’s an interesting song, and I guess I don’t like it as much as I could because from the beginning I had prepared myself for something different. It does grow on you though.
Blessed to Be a Witness has a feeling of a very naturalistic and African feel. I almost want to compare it to that of Lion King - Circle of Life but more mellow. I have a few reservations about the comparison but it definitely has a feel. I guess UB40 is more fitting. I find this to be a beautiful song and the mellow attitude is just so beautiful. It’s addictive and a song that tends to play over and over. It’s wonderful to hear an uplifting song about beliefs, religion, and life.
Once again arriving with an interesting African feel, Picture of Jesus is one of my favorite songs. A chorus mouths a harmony of noises with Harper singing a variation of his own. Almost with the subtle uttering of the dialect makes you feel as though you’re going through an incredible bonding experience. He sings about the faith he has and the fact that his “Picture of Jesus” goes with him. It’s absolutely beautiful and wonderfully cultured.
I thought the previous song would be an amazing closer for this particular album, but I was proved wrong when I had heard She’s Only Happy in the Sun. This connects back to what Welcome to the Cruel World was but a much more beautiful essence of Harper. After the beautiful serenade of Harper and his guitar, another guitar joins and a compelling choir harmonizes over certain words. It remains sweet and simple which is nice to hear after a seemingly complicated album. This is actually a song that makes you wish there was even more to it.
One of my previous major qualms about Ben Harper before in the album Welcome to the Cruel World, I felt that he didn’t display much talent and the songs were just too basic. I knew that there were meanings and they were concise, but I feel music loses meaning if not all of your heart is put into it. As I listened to this album, I truly believed Harper’s heart to be in it.
I’ve heard this CD has Copy Protection. Inevitably it would happen, I knew it would. It doesn’t affect me at all, it’s playing fine on my computer so it’s something that’s not effecting me. For those that it is effective, I suggest not relying so much on your computer to play your CDs. Stereos are good things, and I hate putting too much trust into my computer.
Although this album isn’t the most challenging on ones talent, Harper proves that it isn’t necessary. The production was wonderful and I felt every song was full, contrary to my thoughts on Welcome to the Cruel World.
It was interesting to see him expand as well, with song after song being different than the next. I hardly heard a repeat in premise and musical expression. A couple funk songs, a few somber songs, a couple love ones, a blue grass feel to a couple, a blues expression at one point, etc. Not many can do an array of genres and have each song just as good. It was a brave mix but if anyone could pull it off, Ben Harper could.
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