Album review: BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind
Share the post "Album review: BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind"
Website [Release date 23.08.19]
Ben Featherstone has been working on this album over the past decade, mostly recorded in a 400 year old abandoned chapel on a disused cemetary in the middle of nowhere on mostly a 1950′s reel to reel, Neumann microphones and classic Neve Pre amps – all powered by a caravan battery and a type writer. It really is a musical labour of love, which features some guest musicians including Robert Webb (Cliff Richard, composer), who lays down the jaw dropping Hammond organ solo on ‘Fantasmogloria’, cellist Bryony James (Celine Dion, Adele) and bassist Dan Hawkins (Katy Melua, Rod Stewart). The album was mastered at Abbey Road Studios London by the Andy Walter (U2, Roger Waters, film scores).
‘Ageless Lady’, is simply wonderful which despite its sad lyric, features uplifting music and Ben’s vocals that at times remind me of Ray LaMontagne. The cello and piano lead into an operatic climax, which is sung in four different languages. ‘Cold White Snow’ is another vocal marvel, written after he met Nick Cave and it has that melancholic air you associate with Cave’s music. His singing really does sound as though he is singing live to you thanks to the painstaking effort that has gone into the recording.
‘Miss You’ recalls Jackie Leven, featuring a gentle guitar and Celtic drums providing a folk backbeat. ‘Chasing Stars’ is a beautiful tale of missing a loved one, with the emotive lyric “I wish you were here, will you come for me, I can’t wrap my arms around a memory”. For those who love a meaningful lyric there are many dotted throughout this album.
Special mention to ‘Fantasmogloria’, a song that veers from the gently acoustic through to a rip roaring Hammond solo from Robert Webb, before ending back on a gentle acoustic lilt.
If he never makes another album (and I for one sincerely hope he does), given the time, emotion and effort put into ‘Prisoner To The Wind’, Ben Featherstone can be proud that he has produced an album to be savoured and returned to time and time again. ****
Review by Jason Ritchie
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Latest session: Sunday 14 April
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections