25 Records of Christmas, Day 24: Ben Howard

Music that takes me to a place of comfort, a place where I can be myself, is truly the best type of music I can listen to. Creating a moment in a song is part of making it popular. No one else seems to know this better than Ben Howard. His debut album came out this year, and each song on Every Kingdom is beautiful, and moving. And it’s not just the music either. His lyricism, among other things, keep me coming back over and over. That’s why he came in at number 2 for me this year.

Ben Howard is a singer-songwriter from the UK, and similar to Birdy, has been doing music for a while, but is only now getting around to putting out a debut album and touring the states. But the music is so genuine. From the very beginning of the album opener, “Old Pine”, with Howard’s delicate finger-picking, you know you’re in for a journey. Howard comes in with soft harmonies at the start, before his quick lyrical imagery comes shining through. “We stood / steady as the stars in the woods / so happy-hearted / and the warmth range true inside these bones / as the old pine fell we sang / just to bless the morning.”

One particular feature that is true of Howard’s song structure is this: he’ll start out slow, setting the stage for the beautiful imagery, and then he’ll break loose. The bridges on many of the songs, particularly “Keep Your Head Up” and “Only Love”, are heavy, both musically and instrumentation-wise. His band has perfected a way to build up an intense climax musically, and sustain it for a good minute (most of the songs are 5 minutes or more), all along featuring Howard’s screams and soft, soothing vocals. "The Fear" is another tune, stylistically in the same vein, featuring Howard's quick melodies and intricate guitar work in the background.

I feel like it’s hard to explain such an intricate song like “The Wolves” and the intensity and passion it brings without hearing it. Nearly 3 minutes in, the song comes to a near-satisfying end, but Howard has more up his sleeve. Repeating the words “love, love, love” over and over, with his band echoing behind him, creates this euphoric moment where you believe in everything Howard has been working for. Additionally, “Everything” is a  finger-picking frenzy, laden with some of Howard’s best lyrics: “Seems like everything around here / stays like stone / seems like it’s about time darling / we let this all go / everything must start again anew / everything just goes that way my friend / and every king knows it to be true / that every kingdom must / one day / come to an end.” Howard gives us a deep, personal look into his own life, and through it, brings us some of the best songs from 2012.

I latched onto Ben Howard’s debut so much this year, mainly because of the live videos online, and his intimate studio sessions. His song structuring is so deep and creates a moment each time with each song, making it so memorable. His passion is evident each time he sings, and Every Kingdom is a record that I can back to and find something new every time. Perfect for on the porch, experiencing the nature, Ben Howard is one that I’m sure I’ll be coming back to for years to come.