Best known for being one half of the breezy 90s dance-pop duo Everything But The Girl, Ben Watt’s first solo album in over thirty years marries dark themes with a mix of ethereal folk-rock and riffs grungy enough for the likes of Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Lyrically, the album wrestles with themes of regret, the death of loved ones, and the unrelenting passage of time on tracks like “Forget,” “Matthew Arnold’s Field” and “Young Man’s Game.”
However, this is not to say that Hendra is without its bright spots. “Golden Ratio,” one of the album’s bouncier tracks, finds Watt grasping for life’s seemingly unattainable beauty atop a smooth, jazzy bed of Fender Rhodes, upright bass, and congas. Hendra’s tasteful use of Moog and ARP synthesizers, among other electronic sounds, could draw comparisons to the more gentle moments of post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd. It’s fitting, then, that Floyd’s own David Gilmour makes a guest appearance playing slide guitar on the track, “The Levels.”
The album ends on a decidedly hopeful note, with Watt urging the listener – and perhaps himself – not to lose sight of life’s simple beauty when faced with ordeals: “Open up your arms tonight/ Open up and hold her tight/ Because most of this stuff/ Is just happening in your own head.” (Caroline, benwatt.com) Phil Enns