Artist: Daniel Benyamin
Title: Eral Fun
Genre: Art-Rock
Release Date: 25th February 2022
Label: Ghost Place / Cargo Records
Album Review
Four years in the making, ‘Eral Fun’ (a lazy pun if ever there was one) is the solo release from the former SEA + AIR frontman, and represents all those elements that made his former band such an intriguing and at times frustrating proposition. A genre-hopping playfulness and at times deliberately naive approach has carried over into these eleven songs about the attraction of opposites and the taboos surrounding death. Odd subject matter for such a cheery album, but then death “always brings change and a new beginning” - so that’s ok. He’s not gone all goth on us then.
If an opening track is meant to grab you and keep your attention, ‘Digital Lovers’ is stubbornly rebellious. Even if this lightweight and cheesy pop frippery is tongue-in-cheek it’s still pretty horrible. ‘Get Rid of Me’ has a touch more meat on the bones, melodic without being brisk, but the wine-bar falsetto is soon back and ‘I Gotta Know’ wisps by like dandelion seeds on a breeze. ‘Lights Go Out Tonight’ succeeds in almost creating some atmospherics but the chorus is entirely forgettable, rendering this a thing of two parts - which at least fits the theme of duality, but possibly not in the way the author intended. ‘Why Do You Look So Sad When You Smile’ averages out as some 80’s radio fodder, a classic B-side. Massively average, with good bits.
If you’re still awake by ‘Gone’, this should finish you off. Although foppish-finale ‘Smile Somehow’ plinky-plonks across the finish line with summery aplomb, a swell of optimistic gorgeousness that succeeds fully where the other tracks on ‘Eral Fun’ only manage in short bursts. The two most lazy words in the reviewer’s arsenal are “catchy” and “boring”. This album strives for the former, and fails, and could never believe for a second it would succeed at the latter, but sadly wins the silver medal in that department. It’s just not nearly engaging enough to get even mildly excited about. Ah well.
Tracklist
01. Digital Lovers
02. Get Rid Of Me
03. This World Is Too Messed Up For Someone Like You
04. I Gotta Know
05. Lights Go Out Tonight
06. Shine Tonight
07. Why Do You Look So Sad When You Smile
08. Angel In Danger
09. I Don’t Care (I Can Live Without It)
10. Gone
11. Smile Somehow
Line-up
Daniel Benyamin
Website
https://danielbenyamin.com / https://www.facebook.com/danyelbenyamin
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 5
Sound: 5
Total: 5 / 10
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