Virginian Ben Arthur’s PR notes describe him as ‘not your average folk-rock-country-blues singer.’ But on listening to EDIBLE DARLING, I also found a liberal sprinkling of pop which makes this album easy to digest, and one that could make very many friends over here in the UK.

Opening gambit Mary Ann is a strong case in point. Dynamic melody, DJ scratching, and the first taste of a voice that is young, easy and radio-friendly. It’s the sort of country-pop that could dent the charts given airplay. Tonight is the gentlest country/folk love song that meanders along helped by wafting guitars and an expressive, sincere vocal. With killer choruses and dreamy backing vocals this is another hugely melodic album track that could fly on its own.

Broken Hearted Smile is a meandering country rock love song with another strong melody, and a pounding drum rhythm which adds depth and vibe. Hell! This could be another single. And the same, good story continues with End Of The Day where Arthur proves that he can also write simple, effective, and darker lyrics (“At the end of the day, at the end of the night, at the end of the week, at the end of my life…”).

With nice changes in pace and mood throughout, an excellent voice and some of the strongest melodies heard in 2004, Ben Arthur has a potential winner on his hands with EDIBLE DARLING. The dark messages lying just underneath the gloss makes the album even more interesting and distinctive. It will be up to our desperately bad radio stations to give it a chance, and for Arthur to come on over to play to us folks to give this highly accessible and entertaining album a chance of selling through. Recommended.

4/5