Ever since i got my hands on a copy of this album it has been played non-stop on my iTunes/iPod. It is quite difficult to actually try and sum up how beautiful this record is!
I first head about Benjamin Francis Leftwich whilst listening to Huw Stephens' show on Radio 1, in which he interviewed Ben and played his track Box of Stones which i instantly fell in love with.
From beginning to end of his debut album Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm Ben's enchanting vocals and harmonies swirl around your head and the acoustic guitar is the perfect accompaniment to them. As soon as I pressed play I went off into my own little zone of calm and peacefulness, which i thoroughly enjoyed, each song fills you more and more with this warming feeling which i am sure is desired by many.
The tracks on the album are all quite similar in style, there isn't a track that stands out as being 'more up-beat' than the others or anything of the like, which has been a fuel for criticism from the press. However this is what Benjamin Francis Leftwich does and it is what he does best and i cannot find a single fault with it. This is an album to accompany you on a long journey somewhere, one to sit down and enjoy on a rainy afternoon with a nice cuppa!
If you're one who tends to get bored of songs and frequently skip tracks then it probably isn't for you, but for anyone who are fans of Newton Faulkner, Charlie Simpson, Bobby Long, Laura Marling, Ellie Goulding etc i would expect nothing less than pure love for this record. Personal favourites include; Box of Stones, Pictures, 1904 & Shine but each song truly is wonderfully written.
Ben will be touring throughout the UK during October, as well as appearing at a number of music festivals in the last months of the summer season. To see a full listing of the show dates go to his website here
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