| Witness | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 June 2017 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 32:07 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Sam Cohen | |||
| Benjamin Booker chronology | ||||
| ||||
Witness is the second studio album by American musician Benjamin Booker. It was released on 2 June 2017 by ATO Records and Rough Trade Records. [1]
Witness was announced with the premiere of its title track on March 9, 2017. Booker published an essay alongside the announcement, detailing the experience that led him towards writing the album's title track. [2] The title track's references to police brutality and activism garnered Booker coverage in politically leaning outlets including Mic, which noted the album's “urgent synthesis of blues, gospel and soul — forms with long histories of translating black pain into uplifting and enduring compositions … with a raw and unforgiving candor that's reminiscent of downtown New York punk. [3]
The opening track "Right on You" was shared on April 19 by The Fader, which called it "a staticky, high-tempo ballad that packs a punch". [4] The third song to be released from the album, "Believe", was premiered by TIME on May 23. [5] In the run-up to the album's release WNYC released a statement about it, describing Booker as “a punk & grit-infused songwriter whose ecstatic and soulful sounds channel vintage soul-rock, gospel, and blues.” [6]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100 [7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10 [9] |
| Pitchfork | 8.1/10 [10] |
Upon its release Witness generally received positive reviews from contemporary critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [7]
In a review for AllMusic, editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine described that "Blues remains [Booker's] foundation and he can still indulge in squalls of noise, but there's a heavy soul vibe here and, crucially, Booker is embracing modern production. That much is clear from the way "Right on You" opens with burbling electronics before descending into a rocking riff that grooves harder than anything on his debut. Witness is filled with these kinds of left turns, ranging from the folk-soul of "Motivation" and the old-fashioned Southern soul of "Believe" to the psychedelic thrum of "Truth Is Heavy." This aural variety alone would make Witness an exciting record, but when these sounds are paired with probing political and personal songs, the album becomes something fresh and vital."
Contributor H. Drew Blackburn stated in his review for Pitchfork, that it “makes retro music feel modern, reflecting on racism in America while drawing on blues, soul, and gospel.” [10]
Exclaim! writer Ryan B. Patrick wrote: "Witness owes its imperfect existence to garage-punk, psychedelic Afro-rock and the overarching and heartbreaking sentiment that ours is a system that we might not get out from under anytime soon." [9]
All tracks are written by Benjamin Booker
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Right on You" | 2:33 |
| 2. | "Motivation" | 3:32 |
| 3. | "Witness" (featuring Mavis Staples) | 2:57 |
| 4. | "The Slow Drag Under" | 3:49 |
| 5. | "Truth Is Heavy" | 3:54 |
| 6. | "Believe" | 3:54 |
| 7. | "Overtime" | 4:04 |
| 8. | "Off the Ground" | 2:26 |
| 9. | "Carry" | 3:21 |
| 10. | "All Was Well" | 1:53 |
Credits adapted from Rough Trade Records. [11]
Maggot Brain is the third studio album by the American funk rock band Funkadelic, released by Westbound Records in July 1971. It was produced by bandleader George Clinton and recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit during late 1970 and early 1971. The album was the final LP recorded by the original Funkadelic lineup; after its release, founding members Tawl Ross (guitar), Billy Nelson (bass), and Tiki Fulwood (drums) left the band for various reasons.
Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard rock music was produced by the Kinks, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Cream, Vanilla Fudge, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In the late 1960s, bands such as Blue Cheer, the Jeff Beck Group, Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, Golden Earring, Steppenwolf, and Deep Purple also produced hard rock.
Roots rock is a genre of rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is seen as responses to the perceived excesses of the dominant psychedelic and the developing progressive rock. Because roots music (Americana) is often used to mean folk and world musical forms, roots rock is sometimes used in a broad sense to describe any rock music that incorporates elements of this music. In the 1980s, roots rock enjoyed a revival in response to trends in punk rock, new wave, and heavy metal music.
"I Want You" is a song written by songwriters Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross and performed by singer Marvin Gaye. It was released as a single in 1976 on his fourteenth studio album of the same name on the Tamla label. The song introduced a change in musical styles for Gaye, who before then had been recording songs with a funk edge. Songs such as this gave him a disco audience thanks to Ware, who produced the song alongside Gaye.
She Hangs Brightly is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star. It was released on May 21, 1990, by Rough Trade Records and re-released by Capitol Records later in the year.
Boris is a Japanese band formed in 1992 in Tokyo and composed of drummer Atsuo, guitarist/bassist Takeshi, and guitarist/keyboardist Wata. All three members contribute vocals. Their work has drawn variously on styles such as sludge rock, drone, metal, noise, psychedelia, and minimalism. Boris has released more than twenty studio albums on various labels around the world, as well as a wide variety of live albums, compilations, EPs, singles, and collaborative albums. They have collaborated with acts such as Sunn O))), Merzbow, Keiji Haino, and guitarist Michio Kurihara.
"Rocks Off" is the opening song on the Rolling Stones' 1972 double album Exile on Main St. Recorded between July 1971 and March 1972, "Rocks Off" is one of the songs on the album that was partially recorded at Villa Nellcôte, a house Keith Richards rented in the south of France during the summer and autumn of 1971. Overdubs and final mixing for the song were later done at Sunset Sound studios in Los Angeles, California between December 1971 and March 1972.
Rock Bottom is the second solo album by former Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt. It was released on 26 July 1974 by Virgin Records. The album was produced by Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason, and was recorded following a 1973 accident which left Wyatt a paraplegic. He enlisted musicians including Ivor Cutler, Hugh Hopper, Richard Sinclair, Laurie Allan, Mike Oldfield and Fred Frith in the recording.
Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and disco.
Tanx is a 1973 album by rock band T. Rex, the eighth since their debut as Tyrannosaurus Rex in 1968, and the fourth under the moniker T. Rex. It was released on 16 March by record label EMI. Tanx was a musical departure from previous works: still containing tracks in the vein of The Slider, singer and songwriter Marc Bolan showed his interest for soul music, funk and gospel. Female backing singers appeared on a few tracks. New instruments such as mellotron were used, played by producer Tony Visconti, allowing the T. Rex sound to evolve.
Parquet Courts is an American rock band from New York City. The band consists of Andrew Savage, Austin Brown, Sean Yeaton, and Max Savage (drums).
"I Do It" is a song by American rapper 2 Chainz from his second studio album B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time (2013). "I Do It" features fellow rappers Drake and Lil Wayne, with production from D. Rich, Diplo and Wonder Arillo. The song was featured on a 2 Chainz, Beats by Dr. Dre commercial. The song debuted at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100 upon the album's release.
Benjamin Booker is an American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He cites The Gun Club, Blind Willie Johnson and T. Rex as influences. His music was described by the Chicago Tribune as "a raw brand of blues/boogie/soul,", by The Independent as "frenzied guitar-strumming and raw, soulful vocals that are hair-raising in intensity" and by Spin as "bright, furious, explosive garage rock."
Sound & Color is the second and final studio album by American band Alabama Shakes. It was released on April 17, 2015 via ATO Records.
But You Caint Use My Phone is a mixtape by American singer Erykah Badu. It was released on November 27, 2015, by Motown and Control Freaq. Following the release of New Amerykah Part Two (2010), Badu embarked on a five-year hiatus, during which she traveled to Africa in an attempt to record new music, though this never surfaced. After receiving a remix of "Bag Lady" from producer Zach Witness, Badu contacted him in order to record with him. Shortly thereafter, the pair met again and went to Witness's home in Dallas, Texas, and worked in his bedroom studio, where they recorded the mixtape in 11 days. The mixtape features appearances from rapper ItsRoutine and André 3000.
Mr. Misunderstood is the fifth studio album from American country music artist Eric Church. EMI Records Nashville released the album on November 3, 2015, to his fan club, before being released on iTunes the following day. Church worked with long-time music producer Jay Joyce for the production of the album.
Drunk is the third studio album by American musician Thundercat, released on February 24, 2017, by Brainfeeder. It features guest appearances from Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Pharrell. It was released nearly four years after his previous studio album, Apocalypse.
Curtis Harding is an American singer and songwriter. Primarily a soul artist, his "slop 'n' soul" style carries the influence of genres including blues, gospel, psychedelia, R&B, and rock. His first album, Soul Power (2014), was followed by Face Your Fear in 2017, with production from Danger Mouse and Sam Cohen.
Jaime is the debut solo studio album from Brittany Howard, released on September 20, 2019, via ATO Records. It has received acclaim from critics and has been nominated for several awards; it was a moderate sales success, appearing on several charts. The album is a mix of several musical styles that reflects intimate events and perspectives in Howard's life, which she supported with her first solo tour.
Beyond the Pale is the debut studio album by British rock band Jarv Is, led by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. The studio album incorporates live recordings, and was defined by the group as an "alive album". It was released by Rough Trade Records on 17 July 2020, having been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and received widespread acclaim upon release, with multiple critics characterising it as Cocker's best work since Pulp.
