Well this one escaped my notice last year! Hopefully you didn’t miss it because Benjy Davis Project’s Dust is a beautiful, Southern ode to love. Is that a corny intro for this review? Perhaps, but once you hear it you’ll agree with me that this collection of songs keeps your mind on love in the most delicious manner. Dust has 13 tracks to showcase Benjy Davis’ talent and that of his band. They needed that many, or more, to contain the wide range of musical styles and affinities they hold. Just when you think a song is straight up new-country someone plucks a string and turns the whole thing around into an indie-pop thing of beauty. From “Sweet Southern Moon” which recounts the quintessential coming of age moment, to the heart-wrenching, final track “Over Me,” Benjy Davis covers the gamut of love’s effects on the human condition.

His voice has such a sweet timbre to it, cracking on just the right high notes in an endearing way, and Maggie Brown as guest soloist on “Graves” is the perfect partner to it. Even though many of these songs focus on the nostalgia of lost or undeserved love, you can’t help but yearn for the next one to start. “I Love You” is probably the centerpiece, for me, of this record. Helpless in the face of a force stronger than him, Benjy belts out these lyrics and hooks you in. Yeah, it’s this melody and the lyrics: “I love you deeper than I can swim. Feel my lungs caving in. Nobody’s saving me now,” that runs through my mind long after the music has stopped.

At last there’s a record with guitar solos! “Same Damn Book” delivers that 70s feel with a gorgeous guitar solo fade out. “Who’s God” features an entirely different one; shorter and less prominent but equally good. The slide guitar moments of this album are snuck in here and there, momentarily stealing your attention away from the rest of the song. Even with this many tracks, you don’t want it to stop. But this record ends on a tender, sad song with its final note just hanging there. “Be over Sunday to cut myself out of your heart. I’ll start with the things that remind you of me, and move on.” And you know he might try to carry through with this, but you really hope he doesn’t. We need another Benjy Davis Project record next year; thankfully, I don’t think he’ll ever come to terms with love.

Benjy Davis Project is comprised of: Benjy Davis – lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar; Mic Capdevielle – drums, percussion, vocals; Jonathan Lawhun – electric lead guitar, banjo; Matt Rusnak – bass guitar; Michael Galasso – piano, B3 organ, Wurlitzer, harmonica, vocals

MySpace …. Official Site…. buy the record here …. get more free tunes from Rock Ridge Music here.
Tour Dates
Jul 2 2009 8:00P Headliners w/ special guest Tony Lucca Columbia, South Carolina
Jul 3 2009 5:00P First Friday Southern Pines/Adjacent to Sunrise Theater Southern Pines, North Carolina
Jul 4 2009 8:00P The Evening Muse w/ special guest Tony Lucca Charlotte, North Carolina
Jul 6 2009 7:00P 8×10 Club w/ special guest Tony Lucca Baltimore, Maryland
Jul 7 2009 8:00P Jammin’ Java w/ Andy Davis & Josh Hoge Vienna, Virginia
Jul 9 2009 8:00P The Handlebar w/ Picture Me Free Greenville, South Carolina
Jul 14 2009 8:00P Rams Head w/ Special Guest Tony Lucca Annapolis, Maryland
Jul 15 2009 8:00P Thunderbird Cafe w/ Special Guest Tony Lucca Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jul 16 2009 9:30P Wilbert’s w/ Special Guest Tony Lucca Cleveland, Ohio
Jul 17 2009 8:00P Southgate House w/ special guest Tony Lucca Newport, Kentucky
Jul 18 2009 8:00P The Rathskeller – Biergarten supporting The Elect Indianapolis, Indiana
Jul 19 2009 8:00P Off Broadway Nightclub w/ Special Guest Tony Lucca St. Louis, Missouri
Jul 21 2009 8:00P Martyr’s w/ special guest Tony Lucca Chicago, Illinois
Jul 22 2009 7:30P Live at the Triangle – Veterans Park Saukville, Wisconsin
Jul 23 2009 5:00P Waterfest w/Rusted Root Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Jul 30 2009 10:00P Howlin’ Wolf w/ special guest Tony Lucca New Orleans, Louisiana
Jul 31 2009 11:00P The Varsity Theatre w/ special guest Tony Lucca Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Sep 5 2009 8:00P Project 30-90 Festival New Orleans, Louisiana
Sep 26 2009 6:00P Hotel Carolina Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Oct 30 2009 6:00P Voodoo Fest New Orleans, Louisiana