Roy Bennett
Dallas, Texas, United States
Music
Press
Roy Bennett’s first release, a 12-song album entitled Onomatopoeia, is a fusion of alt-country and pop-rock that cannot help but leave you smiling. Onomatopoeia’s twelve tracks hit you with more ooh’s, ahh’s and ba-ba-bop’s than a bubble-gum pop album, while stretching genres, throwing in tenor and baritone-saxes, synthesizers, violin, mandolin, and handclaps, and sending a positive message. On “Conspiracy,” Roy Bennett opens with a funky rewind overdub, followed by a slow-core ska lick on tenor sax! These guys refuse to fit narrow definitions.
Onomatopoeia’s songs are written with a self-effacing sense of humor that alternatively pokes fun at life’s minor failures while providing a hopeful message. The second song on the disc, “I Sucked Today”, is a twangy, garage-pop anthem apologizing for a day dictated by Murphy’s Law. The witty apology is accompanied by hopeful organ swells and an irresistible beat. Ba-baa’s reminiscent of Ben Kweller’s “Bop-Bop”, though a little less minimalist and a little more up-beat, punctuate this song. On “What Happened to the Rain?” they recorded actual sniffing! Templeton sings: “was that thunder or a train, sniff- sniff, sniff-sniff smells like rain.” Moments like this made me wonder what a studio session with Roy Bennett would be like.
Booming, 80’s drums ring in “Just the Other Day,” followed by a warm, lightly overdriven guitar lead held up by a soft regge-ska rhythm guitar hitting on the upbeats. The bass line walks a memorable, poppy dance. During a bridge, the vocals sink into an echoing refrain, with an eerie lead line. I realize this sounds like chaos, but Roy Bennett is able to manage it, somehow throwing disparate sounds and genres into an alt-country, pop amalgam that somehow works.
A slinking slide guitar introduces “That’s When I Knew,” and the vocals trade off between Ben Templeton and D. Hayes Smith. Again, the pop-induced “ooh’s” fall during a pre-chorus, draped with a clean-toned lead guitar line. The chorus reiterates: “And that’s when I knew that it was you, / the moment was true, and that’s when I knew / that’s when I knew.” The utter simplicity and honesty seem too easy, but maybe this is how it is for Bennett.
The childhood sentiments of these songs reminded me of old G. Love & Special Sauce, how he would sing about playground basketball games, buying a soda pop for a girl, and other unassuming snippets of life. Onomatopoeia is simply an album about everyday life, its failures and its loves. There are no deep undercurrents of social criticism, no obscure references that take you outside the songs… essentially there is no posing. Roy Bennett’s first release, as musically diverse and haphazard as it is, is able to create a view of life, as though we get a free pass for viewing Bennett’s world. I like this: the fact that Onomatopoeia doesn’t act bigger than it is and doesn’t try too hard, in terms of lyrics, that is. On the flipside, I did feel a bit overwhelmed at times, just trying to figure out the album’s musical style.
Overall, Onomatopoeia is easy on the ears, a joy and life-filled album. You don’t hear many like this today, and although it’s not my style, I must admit that Onomatopoeia is pure, clean, pop fun.
Timothy C. Avery?June 2007
- Independant Clauses
"Roy Bennett..., a Dallas singer-songwriter, whose wry lyrics about the mp3 generation Luddites and himself, (his) music flits around from no-frills, straightforward guitar pop, with traces of southern roots rock and Texas twang, to neo-raggae and lite "London Calling" Clash songs. Like Graham Parker, he uses his wavering nasal vocals to his advantage, adding credence to his main facet- his put upon Everyman persona.."
Jack Rabid-The Big Takeover magazine
- The Big Takeover magazine
"The band's 2006 debut, Onomatopoeia, proves that Roy Bennett is a long way from sucking. The debut is solid alt-country in the vein of Todd Snider and Tom Petty, but with a unique sense of funk and soul."
Darryl Smyers-The Dallas Observer
- The Dallas Observer-Village Voice Media
Roy Bennett is creative and artistic. The lyrics are smart, funny and relatable. Their songs are consistently creative and musically superior. The production of the album is great. I can’t say enough good things about this band!
BY JONI HUTCHINSON
Read the full article at:
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2008/mar/13/cd-review-roy-bennetts-onomatopoeia/
- Pegasus News
"The pop rockers in Roy Bennett have just issued a new single and accompanying video--and both show a surprising amount of sophistication for a trio of slackers from Lake Highlands....with "2 Daze Away", Roy Bennett mixes a bit of reggae into its bare bones rock, making music that’s simple without being simplistic."
Darryl Smyers-The Dallas Observer
- The Dallas Observer-A Village Voice Publication
Discography
Debut Record Onomatopoeia Released Dec. 31, 2006
"2 Daze Away" Single Release June 14, 2008
"Alone" Single Release March 18, 2009
All tracks available on many music sites like iTunes, Rhapsody, AllMusic to name a few.
Photos
Bio
Roy Bennetts’ Onomatopoeia was their first release with Jack&Dorothy, Inc. Records. And now two new singles “2 Daze Away” and "Alone" with accompanying videos have just been released from the forthcoming CD due out this summer.
A relatively new entry into the Dallas music scene, this is Roy’s second effort as being the center of attention after years of writing songs and being a sideman. His full name is Roy Bennett Templeton, but he is adamant that his semi-namesake is indeed a fully functioning band. Coming together a little less that two years ago, Roy Bennetts’ 2006 debut, Onomatopoeia, is solid alt-country in the vein of Todd Snider and Tom Petty, but with a unique sense of funk and soul. The latter elements are brought to play by the experienced rhythm section of Hayes Smith and Collyer Spreen.
Spreen, who plays drums in Roy Bennett, toured with Starship in the 80’s, and has served as a recording engineer with Crowded House, Steve Windwood, Don Henley and many others.
Bassist and horn player Smith hails from Virginia and was a key player with the Universal Records band The Ernies. Smith has also played sax with James Brown, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and local Dallas faves [Daryl]. The newest member of the band is Michael Floreale. The current bandleader of When In Rome who had the hit "The Promise", most recently on the Nepoleon Dynamite soundtrack. He's now pulling double duty working on the new record.
The combined experiences of all four members contribute to the band’s measured approach to recording and performing, as well at their stress-free attitude.
Links
