Brendan Benson is one of the finest singer-songwriters of my generation; I think of him as a modern day Paul McCartney. He consistently releases amazing records to critical acclaim, but somehow still manages to ride under the radar of the mainstream. It’s truly baffling to me that he is not a household name.
With that being said, the packed courtyard at Cedar Street last Thursday got to see Benson at his finest. Granted there were one or two miscues from the band (which I assume is because they are rehearsing for a long overdue, upcoming tour) but when all was said and done, this was the best showcase I had seen at SXSW 2012. The harmonies were flawless, the band was tight, and the songs sounded better than ever.
Benson releases his new album What Kind of World on his own Readymade Records label on May 1st. He treated the capacity crowd to a couple of new gems from the record which will continue to make those happy who celebrate his genius catalog of work to date.
The Setlist:
Light of Day
Good to Me
Keep Me
Cold Hands, Warm Heart
What I’m Looking For
Bad For Me
Whole Lot Better
Tiny Spark
What Kind of World
Did you see the show? What did you think? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
