Here's a strange one. Bennett Brier has, for the past three decades or more, written over 150 songs but doesn't play or sing a single note, at least not in public.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons why this album has taken over a year to reach the top of the 'to review' pile.
As a result of his non-performing status, Mr Brier is constantly on the lookout for singers and musicians to ensure the fruits of his labour sees the light of day.
Here's how he makes a pitch on his website: "I'd love for people to hear my songs through your performances or recordings of them. Together we can do something exciting and tangible, such as gigs or signings, publishing, or recording deals. I got the songs and you got the chops".
Twelve of his songs were recorded on the album Anthem in 1999 and now fourteen more can be heard on Scorpio And Me.
By my calculations he has another nine album's worth of material waiting for the right collaborators.
On this album he has recruited Jay Sims on lead vocals and guitar, Stephen Doster on lead guitar and James Stevens on backing vocals. Sims also produced the album which was recorded in Austin, Texas. None of these artists get what you would call prominent billing.
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I would understand their unselfish devotion to song craft if Brier's work was truly extraordinary. But these are quite conventional modern folk tunes with an earnest and often overly sentimental feel inspired I would guest by the usual suspects (Dylan/Neil Young/Springsteen etc).
The lines hardly strike you as profound or poetic; take one example from Harsh Unto My Eyes: "On a cold and windy morning, I stare into your eyes, trying to remember yesterday"
The broad theme seems to be life as journey with a strong spiritual subtext which is made specific on Harijan ("we all are children of God, we are all makers of love") and implied with titles like Benediction and Joined Unto Thee.
The overall tone is earnest, didactic and quite dull.
Like acid folk, without the acid.
Bennett Brier's Website
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