Ben Hardt
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Speaking of Diesel, Saturday night got off to a good start at that club with Ben Hardt's debut showing. The former Like Summer guitarist hit the stage with a four-piece rock band plus a string quartet, for a well-attended, elegant set. It was a thoughtful, rehearsed presentation...it worked. My guess is he can take this new sound as far as he wants to.
- Pittsburgh City Paper
At 26, South Side musician Ben Hardt has been around long enough to know that a great voice gets you only so far on a pop music scene as congested as Pittsburgh's.
A certain amount of lyrical and musical sophistication has always been needed to get to the next level, even in a town that makes a point of sneering at ambition.
Ambition? Yeah, Ben Hardt has plenty of that. You can tell by the four-piece orchestral arrangements that shimmer and dance like aurora borealis on his eponymous CD.
But instead of allowing his gift for pop song craft to be overwhelmed by cleverness, like Elvis Costello cracking wise with violas during his "classical period," Hardt never forgets to accommodate the rock 'n' roll instincts that got him where he is today.
"Ben Hardt and His Symphony" is about as ingratiating on first listen as anything a discriminating pop music fan is likely to hear these days. Hardt cites Nat King Cole and Sting as equally important influences on his sound because of their ability to translate emotion into fairly simple but memorable songs.
Acoustic ballads such as "Wake Up, Beautiful" alternate with raucous rockers such as "Come On, Come On." Even when songs get downright muscular, as on "Runaway," the underlying melodicism of the song always shines through.
Hardt eschews the empty pop romanticism we're used to in favor of an actual story that plumbs the depths of love, doubt and death among the ruins of London during the Blitz -- think C.S. Lewis meets Roger Waters.
When Hardt and his eight-member band perform the songs with both swagger and grace at Diesel tonight, they'll be dressed like big-band players straight out of the 1940s.
The suite of seven songs is a down payment. Another six or seven will be released at the end of the year. Although the CD is woefully, even criminally short, "Ben Hardt and His Symphony" is evidence of an enormous talent that won't be denied. - Pittsburgh Post Gazette
I'd just had my mind blown by the filmic strings of Scott Walker's 1969 album Scott 4 when I reached for the similarly string-quartet-driven debut by Ben Hardt, best known locally for his work with pop-rock outfit Like Summer. Yet the blueprint for Ben Hardt and His Symphony doesn't seem so much Walker as the orchestral rush of Richard Ashcroft's underrated solo albums.
Strings seldom rock, so having them as primary instruments on mostly rock songs -- and on Hardt's debut outing -- seems a gutsy move. Also strange is the back story: a World War II romance set in war-torn London, spelled out in the liner notes, yet not entirely necessary to appreciate the six songs and scattered interludes.
After opening with a period clip from an Edward R. Murrow war broadcast, things get started with "Come On, Come On," an impassioned rocker along the lines of the aforementioned Ashcroft. Acoustic love songs "Waltz No. 1" and "Wake Up, Beautiful" steer the record into more "romantic" territory, with strings arranged and directed by Chris Massa, before Hardt crashes into "Runaway" with echoing guitars reminiscent of U2's War.
A lot of the lyrics seem to depend on Hardt's muse being "beautiful" -- a nice thought, but it doesn't really tell us much about her. Beautiful how? Why? Is this person beautiful intrinsically, or in spite of herself -- transcendently?
By the closer, "Looking Up While the Bombs Fall Down," it becomes clear that the unspoken but overarching issue in this recording is the tension between the sweeping, yet conventional beauty of the strings and Hardt's unvarnished rock voice, presented here in its natural rough texture, with knots and cracks and ragged edges. Again, a risky choice, but to me, the most satisfying quality of this batch of songs. As he sings at the album's end, "And if I failed, at least I tried to cast off all my crowns." I like the way this man operates. - Pittsburgh City Paper
If U2 had started out at Lost Highway records,* they’d have sounded a lot like Ben Hardt. I’d call it Honest Rock (different from Earnest Rock, which I’ll get to with the last band). Refreshingly irony-free straight up rock songs with a deft pop sensibility, a real live string section, and a guitar player with a Stratocaster and a delay box. Despite the number of musicians on stage, the sound is clear and open - there’s no mud or mush. They could use a little more experience on the stage - there were a few band “what’s going on?” moments, but the freshness of their energy is palpable and invigorating. Also major points for the entire band wearing pressed white shirts and non-ironic ties.
*If you don’t believe me about the U2 thing, listen to Hardt’s falsetto on last track of his new album, called “Looking up while the bombs fall down.” Bono wishes he could still do it like this. - Iceland Spar
In the cutthroat, overproduced world that is the music industry, it seems almost impossible to locate originality and genuine talent. But maybe that's only because record execs aren't spending enough time in the Steel City.
Ben Hardt and His Symphony, a local act lead by South Sider Ben Hardt and featuring a red-headed, all-female string quartet from Duquesne University, sits on the brink of releasing a debut album that is intriguing, bold and unlike anything you've been listening to lately.
As if writing, recording and mixing an album entirely independent of the popular music juggernaut weren't enough, Ben Hardt and His Symphony plan to release a self-proclaimed concept album. The story is set in London in the 1940s, right in the midst of violent air raids and the mounting terror of World War II. A young couple meets and falls in love against this chaotic backdrop only to be separated by a particularly violent attack. Musically and lyrically, the album traces the emotional experience of existing in that time and place.
The album opens with a clip from an actual London radio broadcast during the war. Generally, these sorts of introductions can and should be brushed aside to get to the music. But on Ben Hardt and His Symphony, the brief and poignant intro enhances the first track and sets the stage for the love story that is about to unfold.
"Come On, Come On," the first real song on the album, is instantly catchy and hooks listeners by the first chorus. With strong, passionate lyrics and masterfully arranged orchestral accompaniment, the track sets a high standard for the remainder of the album.
Plenty of albums start solid then trail off about midway through - the pleasant surprise of Ben Hardt and His Symphony comes as track after track meets expectations. Obviously, certain tracks outshine others, but there is never a moment when the album feels like a letdown.
"Waltz No. 1" stands out for its stripped-down beauty and sentimental story. The swelling strings and hopelessly romantic acoustic guitar complement each other perfectly to create an idealized representation of love. "Wake Up, Beautiful" continues in this love-struck haze with similarly mellow acoustic guitar work and subtle orchestral accents.
"Runaway" finds the tone of the album shifting from innocent love to anger and confusion as the fictitious couple is torn apart. The track opens with distant shouting and heavier percussion. When the guitar comes in, it is darker than anything heard previously. Even the vocals adopt an air of hurt and pain.
This melancholic vibe is continued into the closing track, "Looking Up While the Bombs Fall Down." A lone piano opens the song, soon accompanied by soft strings and Hardt's lonesome vocals. As the track progresses, however, the tone shifts and sadness is replaced by a lighter mood. Ben Hardt and His Symphony ends with the young couple reunited and running through London's hectic streets.
Ben Hardt and His Symphony is an album worthy of national attention and praise. Most notably, it is the seamless incorporation of the string ensemble that gives the album its unique appeal. Few current artists are able to include orchestral music without sounding forced, but Ben Hardt and His Symphony blends two distinct musical genres (classical and pop-rock) in a way that feels completely comfortable.
4 out of 5 stars. - Pitt News
Discography
Ben Hardt And His Symphony - released in 2007
Available on iTunes, Digstation and streaming on Myspace.
"Avalanche" currently in regular rotation on Pittsburgh radio stations, including WYEP.
Photos
Bio
www.ben-hardt.com
www.myspace.com/benhardt
WYEP's Local Artist of The Year in 2007
Listen to the ingratiating pop smarts of "Come On, Come On" and "Avalanche," the first two cuts on Ben Hardt's disc "Ben Hardt And His Symphony". Sensuous violins compete with gritty guitars and drums for the upper hand in what has often been a troubled marriage in rock 'n roll. Disciplined and propulsive, the strings never take a back seat in Hardt's musical narrative.
You can hear the echoes of the Replacements and Police-era Sting in Ben Hardt's voice and in the melodic center of his songs as he alternates between rockers like "Runaway" and thoughtful ballads like "Wake Up, Beautiful." His knack for knocking on the ear's inner door is in full effect on the six songs that grace "Ben Hardt And His Symphony
Like every great artist, Ben Hardt has his influences. The DNA of those who have influenced him over the years glistens like sweat on his brow. There's a little bit of Bowie in Hardt's theatricality on stage, a little bit of Westerberg in his shout and a whole lot of Springsteen in his passionate embrace of the moment.
While he was on tour in New Jersey with his old band, Ben came across on old Sony record player in the trash. Being a discriminating scavenger at heart, Hardt adopted the record player and took it home. The first vinyl LPs he bought to break it in were The Police's "Regatta De Blanc" and "Love's The Thing" by Nat King Cole. Those two albums provided the musical and emotional impetus for the sound at the heart of "Ben Hardt And His Symphony," and effortless blending of seemingly disparate musical sentiments. Because he can't help it, Ben Hardt's sound is becoming more and more original and more honest all the time. He is a truth-teller on a road that lurches between the competing claims of Dionysius and Christ in the American experience. You can hear that conflict in the stirring soulfulness of Ben Hardt's voice.
Ambition and originality go hand-in-hand when it comes to the music of Ben Hardt. Deciding to record an album with a full band and string section isn't original per se, but trying to do so without money, little ability to read music, no band and no string players is the height of hubris and ambition.
Without money, Ben Hardt had to add resourcefulness to his resume. He quit his job, sold his car to buy a Pro Tools rig and began recording on borrowed studio microphones and rented instruments. He laid down all the parts of "Ben Hardt And His Symphony' himself except for the drums and strings. He eventually met a classically-trained composer named Chris Massa who agreed to help him put his ideas for symphonic strings on paper. All Massa wanted in return were guitar lessons.
Perhaps providentially, Hardt was introduced to a quartet of red-headed female string players who agreed to record his arrangements for Chinese take-out and little money. Known affectionately as The Redheads, their beautiful string arrangements augmented what were already emotional songs to begin with. Again relying on his resourcefulness, Ben and the Redheads would sneak into a local college recording studio late on Saturday nights and record the string parts without the faculty's knowledge.
The project's name gives a nod to the big, multi-instrumental bands of the 1930's and 1940's, the era that the album's narrative is set in. The album's narrative revolves around events unfolding in the life of an American in London during World War II. We are privy to his thoughts and feelings as he finds and loses love in the midst of some of the bleakest days in the mid-20th century. It isn't a concept album content to lost itself in abstractions. It's a down payment on a projected journey that will unfurl over more albums encompassing many more styles.
Because he's ambitions, Ben Hardt isn't satisfied with just making a great album. So he's taken the strings and a backing band on the road to perform the whole thing live. His plan is to also release another batch of songs, with full string arrangements in less than a year's time. Ambitious? Crazy? Ben Hardt wouldn't have it any other way.
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