Diatic Records
2006
Industrial Hero
About This Album
Pianist Ben Darwish makes his recording debut as a leader with Industrial Hero, a trio session with bassist Zach Wallmark and drummer Drew Shoals, all of them still working on or having recently completed a college degree at the time of these 2006 sessions. Drawing from many musical styles, including jazz, rock, Latin music, and hip-hop, Darwish clearly has plenty of chops, though he is still finding his voice as a composer. His songs are enjoyable, especially the ominous, in-your-face opener "Impressions of a Lurking Menace" and the Latin-flavored "Birds Over Buoyancy," yet they often feel like impromptu jams rather than songs that will leave a lasting impression. His whimsical arrangement of the Beatles' "Hey Bulldog" is a nice surprise. Wallmark contributed the funky "Perpetuity" and made a valiant attempt to turn Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" into a meaningful jazz vehicle, though its bland, monotonous melody ends up a musical dead end. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 2,3,5 and 11)

1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
11.