Although eponymous, this is Ben Kweller’s third album, featuring a greater amount of post-production that his more familiar stripped-down style, yet, as the messy-haired cover art suggests, there remains an uncompromising simplicity to the whole affair.

Falling very much into the daft yet widely accepted new genre of ‘singer-songwriter’, Kweller mixes country, old-style Springsteen and a few ingredients all his own into the piece. And he plays all the instruments, which while impressive is usually an indicator of quality control’s complete absence (unless your name is Moby).

This is not entirely the case here, yet by mid-point each song begins to feel like it’s had the soul sapped from it;’ everything is too regimented, too precise. It’s not surprising considering each part was performed separately and then stapled together: the parts fit, but remain strangers to each other.

In terms of content, Kweller rocks back and forth from slightly twisted love songs to a listless wanderlust that harkens back to his gypsy heritage. Interesting topics you might think, but sadly this just ain’t so. No matter how many listens, everybody who came near this record ignore the songs and became gradually more infuriated trying to work out who else Kweller sounds like. Current favourites from this game include Brendan Benson, Athlete and Ben Folds. And sadly, through this bizarre process of endless comparison whilst easily blanking out the songs themselves, one become rapidly more aware that everyone Kweller sounds like is more talented than him.

Everything holds such promise on this album – a good riff, an interesting line, unexpected chords – and yet the promises are never fulfilled.

Ben Kweller endlessly leaves you wanting more, but for entirely the wrong reasons: the songs refuse to reach their potential, dawdling along before fizzling out like a damp firework. Simply put, puzzlement is the only outcome of spending time with this record. It is certainly consistent. But then few are apt to appreciate consistent mediocrity.
(2/5)