Ben Harper is one of my all-time favorite songwriters. His last three albums are permanently inside of my ten disc changer. This one probably won't be. It seems like Ben may have rushed this album a little bit.

The lyrics are still pretty good, but the music just doesn't have the feeling we have come to expect from Ben. The electric guitar on this album doesn't lay on the rock or the blues, and the acoustic guitar doesn't weave the intricate musings that hold your attention. This album isn't great, but it isn't bad either. Maybe I'm being too critical--if Burn To Shine were a release from a debut artist, I would think this album was pretty damn good and expect more good things to follow. But, Ben has never disappointed in the past, so the expectations are set outrageously high.

If you are a fan, you should treat yourself to Fight For Your Mind or Welcome To The Cruel World. These are masterpieces and a great introduction to one of the best musicians of the nineties. This is not to say that Harper is any kind of a has-Ben, but this new one really doesn't burn or shine.