Although, we reviewed “In the Colors”—the first single from Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals’ new album, Lifeline—in our upcoming first issue, I thought it would be worthwhile to post a little bit about the album, which is out today.
As I opened the album’s packaging in search of the anticipated disc, I found a short note from Harper printed inside. “The record, Lifeline, was recorded and mixed in 7 days on a 16-track analog tape machine,” he says. “No computers or pro-tools were used anywhere in the process.” Harper, it seems, wants to establish the authenticity with which Lifeline was recorded first and foremost. Thankfully, the 11 tracks that follow are every bit as authentic. According to most audiophiles, analog machines infuse the recordings they produce with a certain warmth—with soul—that digital technology has been unable to duplicate. Harper, appropriately enough, possesses the rare ability to similarly infuse his music with warmth and soul.
When he talks to God, or talks to us about Him, you won’t find Harper talking about church issues such as soteriology, eccelsiology, or the right way to baptize someone. Instead, he talks about things like hope, love, justice, and redemption. His music will never be confused with worship music, yet it feels worshipful. On previous albums such as Diamonds On the Inside, tracks like “Picture of Jesus,” “Blessed to Be a Witness,” and “Amen Omen” stand out. On Lifeline, the depth of “In the Colors,” “Fool for a Lonesome Train,” and “Having Wings” demonstrate why Harper is more than just another laid-back rocker.
On “Having Wings,” Harper sings, “I heard a street singer play a song I knew, and it brought me closer to you.” What the street singer’s song did for Harper, Lifeline can do for the rest of us—Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals will gladly bring you closer to God.