BENJAMIN Francis Leftwich returns with a stunning new album entitled After The Rain and has more than fulfilled the promise and potential of his sublime debut record.
As we'd expect from an artist with such obvious song writing talent,
the album is filled with sublime melodies, thought provoking lyrics
and mesmerising acoustic guitar.
I caught up with Benjamin for a chat and a first listen to After The
Rain and found him both satisfied and excited about this latest
chapter in his soaring career.
“I'm really happy with the new material, I really am,” he enthuses.
“I feel that I've really come up with songs that are meaningful to me
and hopefully to others. I always feel that songs have the power to
really connect with people and their emotions.
"Sometimes a song can speak to you in a way that nothing else can. I hear songs by other artists and sometimes the most simple lyric can really sum up what you're currently going through – good times and bad and I hope that After The Rain can do the same. “
Benjamin collaborated with celebrated producer Charlie Andrew on the new record – best known for his Mercury award winning work on Alt J's An Awesome Wave. Andrew also won the Best British Producer
Brit award for 2016.
“Working with Charlie was an amazing experience. He really helped to bring out the best in me and the songs.
"In the past I would have been tempted to keep everything to myself and perhaps be quite possessive about my songs you know? Thinking to myself, 'I know what needs to happen with
every single note and every single lyric', but with Charlie I opened up
and really embraced his input throughout.
"It's good to have another set of ears and another creative mind involved, especially if you trust that that person is making music for the love of it rather than for a quick commercial exercise.
"His ideas and alternative takes on things were really beneficial. I mean, there is a song on the album called Day By Day and I initially saw it as a very simple acoustic song but Charlie suddenly said 'I think we need a sort of hip-hop rhythm in the background driving it along' and the track totally took on a whole new identity.
"Other times I would maybe be struggling for a lyric and he would shout ideas in my headphones while I was in the vocal booth and they were just perfect.
"So I'm pleased that I let go a little and allowed the music to open up that way. Sometimes instead of taking a song in a particular direction ,
you have to let it take you."
Benjamin has an incredibly busy tour schedule in place over the next few months, a punishing timetable that sees him perform everywhere from London to New York and from Berlin to New Orleans – as yet though no Belfast date has been added, something which the artist is
determined to rectify .
“As soon as I got my tour dates I called my booking agent and asked why we had no Belfast or Dublin date on the schedule. I love playing
there and seriously the shows I have done in Belfast have been some
of my favourite gigs of all time.
"The audiences are truly wonderful so dates will be included very soon."
:: After The Rain by Benjamin Francis Leftwich is available now.
