The mark of truly inspirational music is something that evokes a strong emotional response. This could be feelings of joy and excitement, the need to hang out with friends for an epic evening, or heart-wrenching sadness. Regardless of what that emotion may be, you know once you’ve experienced it that you’ve heard something truly great. Benjamin Francis Leftwich’s work does just that. His ethereal vocals and emotionally crafted lyrics dig deep into planes of your subconscious to bring forth previous experiences and the feelings associated with them.
In the title track “In the Open,” (which has been available for streaming for the past month) Ben has crafted an uplifting sound using soft acoustic guitar strumming, tribal drumming, and welcoming strings. His lyrics, as usual, do an impressive job at creating a story in your mind. It’s always important for a title track to be the shining star since it’s bearing the name of the EP, and this doesn’t disappoint.
“Break the Day Open” provides vocals that glide over strumming notes with wistful lament. This track gave us quite the emotional experience, as we wondered what experiences crafted these soul-gripping words. This was our favorite on the EP, and is the perfect track for deep personal reflection.
The remaining two tracks on the album are equally as impressive. “Manchester Snow” has a hauntingly calming sound to it, while “Is That You on That Plane” features painfully beautiful lyrics, and gorgeous added female harmonies.
We’ve always been a fan of BFL’s work, and this new EP (Out 11/19) bears our same level of appreciation as any of his previous bodies of work. You may have already heard the title track, “In the Open,” as he made it available to stream it a little while ago, but the three other tracks along with it are an exclusive premiere here on The Music Ninja. Take some time to digest his music, as he’s one of the best new songwriters out there.
