(Domino/EMI)

Second album from energetic Maryland singer/songwriter

With his Marc Bolan-styled wail, Benjy Ferree is a lively genre-hopper on his second album, its title paraphrasing from an old Robert Altman movie (substitute ‘Bobby Dee’ for ‘Jimmy Dean’). Thematically, the record is about Ferree’s fascination and empathy with the doomed child actor Bobby Driscoll, who went from Disney star to Warhol Factory identity before dying penniless and drug-ravaged in 1968. Suitably, Come Back… is a turbulent, nervous record, its big bombastic anthems all twisted with a slightly fevered delivery. With that voice, you’d expect some T-Rex stomping, and you get some in the form of What Would Pecos Do? He’s no carbon copy electric warrior, however, as the Who-like rumble of Big Business or the hard rock doowop of I Get No Love illustrate. There’s even a touch of Freddie Mercury showmanship in Whirpool Of Love and febrile, edgy psych-rock in Pisstopher Christopher. A bit of research and a close investigation of the lyric sheet may be required to truly take in the album’s theme, but fortunately Ferree’s songs are charismatic and exhilarating enough to enjoy without having to do any homework.

****

MATT THROWER

Be first to comment on this article

Write Comment
Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged.
Name:
Comment:
Code:*