OCTOBER 2020 WEEK 3 FEATURED MEDIA ARTIST //
BEN GALLUP
ALBUM REVIEW //
“A Single Thought”
Ben Gallup
Introspective, existential, and ponderous…
Ben Gallup’s debut album “A Single Thought” is much more than its title implies.
Rather, it is composed of many deep thoughts and soulful contemplations. “Almost-completely improvised from a trance-like state,” with layers of acoustic guitar, cello and spoken word, Gallup’s words evoke a sense of weightlessness and after a few short moments into the first song, Samsara, we are transported into a night sky as we sit by the fire and escape for the next half hour…
As I sat in my own living room writing and listening to the album, I found myself searching for a common thread amongst the lyrical waves of positive aspirations to the darker explorations in Ben’s stream of consciousness style. Similar to Phil Everum’s The Microphones, “A Single Thought” feels seamless and continuous, moving from one song to the next with such soft gradual transitions, that the entire album feels like a single song. (In similarity -- The Microphones in 2020).
In the dreams of my next life,
I hope I’ll visit this one I live now.
- "It Was a Good One" (12:11)
By the end of the album, the thread seems clear--gratitude. Interwoven with the melodies of “A Single Thought,” are the words of gratitude. One can take away that we should be grateful for our time, connections, and place on this planet. Ben Gallup’s album is a firm reminder of just that.
“A Single Thought” is out and available on Spotify and YouTube.
“May you remember that the purest happiness is there inside you,
always shining just behind the clouds.
May you fly beyond them on the gust of a single thought.”
- "A Blessing for You" (32:50)
Album Review by Sean Sebastian, Head of Distribution
Artist’s Bio:
Benjamin Gallup grew up working class in a Bohemian art gallery near Cleveland, Ohio. School was not a good fit for him, so he was sent to the county school for delinquent youth. In a twist of cosmic irony, he is now, after many adventures, an English teacher in a public school in Seattle, Washington. Benjamin loves writing poetry because for him, it is the artistic medium that achieves maximum power with the barest form. You can see more of his work and reach out to him personally at BeBoldeBeWyse.com
Publishing Credits include:
The Good Men Project
Rebelle Society
Socialism Today (UK)
Justice
Cooper Point Journal
