Ben's Brother - Battling Giants
Following on from the success of their 2007 debut album Beta Male Fairytales, London five-piece Ben's Brother are back with more of the same semi-acoustic indie pop magic that caught all of our attention first time around.
First up is the band's fantastic new single Apologise. Co-written by Natalie Imbruglia, it's an outrageously catchy number with a chorus that floats down and swoops like a feather descending from the heavens and hitting all the right notes along the way.
Lead singer Jamie Hartman's knack for knocking together a great tune, admittedly with the help of his Aussie at times, is more evident in the sound of Battling Giants than ever before.
With a gratuitous appearance from wannabe diva and claptrap-monger Joss Stone, Stalemate marks one of the album's weakest moments. Probably intended as a powerful and emotive duet, the thing reeks of desperation and underhand contrivance.
Another of Hartman's songwriting cronies is roped in on title track Battling Giants; American Jason Mraz's input feels much more appropriate however, as his voice blends seamlessly into the band's rich folk-pop texture.
With all inexplicable guestspots out of the way, the album goes on getting stronger and stronger. Therapy's repeticious hooks are an instant listener trap and What If I?, with its bittersweet lyrics and complex piano arrangements, owes a debt to Coldplay and Keane.
The band's sound is certainly eclectic; Interlude jangles like The Feeling while Hartman's cracked vocals in Bitter End at times evokes images of dino-rocker Rod Stewart.
A strong collection of songs marred just slightly at the start by a couple of love-ins that simply seem quite unncecessary. There really is nothing that Joss Stone can add; it's hard to understand why the band thought she could help.
Battling Giants' best moments are when the boys are left to their own devices. Armed with their instruments and a nice big bucket of pop gloss, they paint a glittering rainbow of heartwarming anthems that can't fail to please even the most skeptical ear.
Rating: 4/5
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