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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Love Goes Down | |||
| 2. Writing's On The Wall | |||
| 3. Stay Too Long | |||
| 4. She Said | |||
| 5. Welcome To Hell | |||
| 6. Hard Times | |||
| 7. The Recluse | |||
| 8. Traded In My Cigarettes | |||
| 9. Prayin' | |||
| 10. Darkest Place | |||
See all 13 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Verses | |||
| 2. Spend My Money | |||
| 3. Prayin' (orig demo version) | |||
| 4. She Said (Live at Café De Paris) | |||
| 5. Welcome To Hell (Live at Café De Paris) | |||
| 6. Stay Too Long (Pendulum mix) | |||
| 7. She Said (Shy FX mix) | |||
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, the second LP from Forest Gate-bred singer/musician Ben Drew, will be a surprise for anyone who spent meaningful time with his 2006 debut Who Needs Actions When You’ve Got Words. That album cast him as a potty-mouthed rapper, threatening to stab you with a biro over choppy acoustic guitar. Now, following a quick makeover, he re-emerges as blue-eyed soul singer, fronting a suite of bittersweet love songs steeped in vintage Stax and Motown. What might seem a rushed rebranding makes more sense if you know a little about Drew's creative drive, though; obsessed with cinema and narrative, Plan B is a storyteller at heart, and …Strickland Banks' songs trace a tale through the London underworld, Drew playing a soul singer from the East End jailed for a crime he didn’t commit. It's a concept that works, thanks largely to Drew’s voice--surprisingly strong, and more than capable of handling everything from upbeat Northern soul to fraught numbers like "Welcome To Hell". The narrative never overwhelms the quality of the songs, though, and for anyone disappointed such an impressively angry man has gone a bit Paolo Nutini on us, there's the occasional rap delivered with anger more savage for its infrequent deployment. –-Louis Pattison
Product Description
2CD .. Strickland
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 52 people found the following review helpful
By Twig
Format:Audio CD
I'd been waiting for this album for years. Loved the first album and was expecting more of the same. Then I discovered Stay Too Long on the web. That voice! High, melodic, impassioned. Soul! But then the rap returns, urgent and visceral. Then She Said was released. More soul, less rap. But wonderful.
And finally, after what, five years? the new album is out. And it's amazing! Ben Drew's voice is just so good. Comparisons are never good, but Smokey Robinson is as good a touchstone as any. The songs are heart-achingly melodic, with thoughtful, well-constructed lyrics that build up, song by song, into a concept album as visual as any film. And some of these sweet soul songs have no rap at all - and they are sublime.
Some people don't seem to like it when an artist switches genres. Neil Young's has had detractors throughout his shifting career. Dylan was panned for going electric; Waits for dropping an octave; DJ Shadow for embracing rap. Ignore the doubters. Plan B's album is superb by any standards, and tracks like Writing's on the Wall, Prayin' and the Recluse offering sound proof that the man doesn't need to do only rap.
I've read that Plan B is planning on experimenting with other genres. This time round, he's produced soul worthy of Atlantic, Stax or Motown - in fact, at times, listening to Strickland Banks is like listening to some of those lost gems from the Cellarful of Motown albums. Wonderful! Next time round, given his great voice - think John Holt, Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker - maybe he should tackle Trojan ska. Verses is half way there. Rocksteady rap. A new genre. On the evidence of the superb Defamation of Strickland Banks, if anyone can make it work, it's Plan B.
And by the way, fork out the couple of extra quid for the deluxe edition. The live versions and mixes are well worth it.
And finally, after what, five years? the new album is out. And it's amazing! Ben Drew's voice is just so good. Comparisons are never good, but Smokey Robinson is as good a touchstone as any. The songs are heart-achingly melodic, with thoughtful, well-constructed lyrics that build up, song by song, into a concept album as visual as any film. And some of these sweet soul songs have no rap at all - and they are sublime.
Some people don't seem to like it when an artist switches genres. Neil Young's has had detractors throughout his shifting career. Dylan was panned for going electric; Waits for dropping an octave; DJ Shadow for embracing rap. Ignore the doubters. Plan B's album is superb by any standards, and tracks like Writing's on the Wall, Prayin' and the Recluse offering sound proof that the man doesn't need to do only rap.
I've read that Plan B is planning on experimenting with other genres. This time round, he's produced soul worthy of Atlantic, Stax or Motown - in fact, at times, listening to Strickland Banks is like listening to some of those lost gems from the Cellarful of Motown albums. Wonderful! Next time round, given his great voice - think John Holt, Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker - maybe he should tackle Trojan ska. Verses is half way there. Rocksteady rap. A new genre. On the evidence of the superb Defamation of Strickland Banks, if anyone can make it work, it's Plan B.
And by the way, fork out the couple of extra quid for the deluxe edition. The live versions and mixes are well worth it.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. D. Hill
Format:Audio CD
So here is the difficult second album.......not if you're Plan B! Those of you looking for a similar album to his first, you might be disappointed, if you're looking for a soul inspired assault of the aural senses then look no further! Plan B is still telling us stories, this time about Strickland Banks and his incarceration for something he didn't do, all in vivid detail played out to a funky soundtrack! It's hard to pick out album highlights as nearly every track is awesome, but the singles aside, Welcome to Hell is a atmospheric 70's soul inspired track that feels like you are alongside Strickland as he's being walked into jail, the closest thing to Smokey Robinson that has ever come out of this country! Seriously soulful!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Roberto
Format:Audio CD
Having been brought up listening to Motown, this CD is immediately comparable to Smokey Robinson with regard to the vocals. I can honestly say that I haven't taken it out of my car CD player since I bought it - it is simply fantastic and I really don't say that lightly! I can cope with the F-ing and Blinding in the rapped bits on one or two tracks. This really is a superb CD, no 'fillers' in ear-shot!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
Absolutely love it, the deluxe set means there are several extra songe compared to the standard CD, also several live versions
Published 1 month ago by Kazzygay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hits u like a Train!
Ok I'm in my 50's got to Wigan every weekend I could in my teens & still play my Northern often(Do I love you? Read more
Published 21 months ago by DoIReallyGiveA
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great and different sounding Band!
One of several new Acts I first encountered on the fabulous Jools Holland Show on New Years' Eve. (the only place I get to hear new music these days)
'PLAN B' for me is... Read more
'PLAN B' for me is... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2011 by FAMOUS NAME
5.0 out of 5 stars
Plan B
This CD is superb. Love the Smokey Robinson sound of the vocals and the music is fantastic too! A+++++
Published on 2 Sep 2010 by A. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
A friend introduced me to Plan B only a few weeks ago with "She Said" and "Mama (loves a crackhead)". Bought the album based on this and now love both genres. Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2010 by C Edwards
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprised!
We were recommended this CD by friends and as not a great person for todays mucic I~ was ever so slightly dubious. Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2010 by Ruby & Coco
5.0 out of 5 stars
genius
I've read previous reviews and couldnt understand the negativity I havent heard any previous Plan B MUSIC, so can only comment on this album. Read more
Published on 13 May 2010 by J. Lynch
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album
Foot tapping stuff, great voice with superb musical arrangements.
If you are a Tamla Motown/ Northern Soul fan this is not too be missed. Read more
If you are a Tamla Motown/ Northern Soul fan this is not too be missed. Read more
Published on 27 April 2010 by puffin
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing an old head on a young body
As an oldie I was introduced to plan b through his first album - apart from being slightly squemish about the language I thought the message he was sending was superb. Read more
Published on 10 April 2010 by boodys mum
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant!!!
absolutely brilliant,i love both his first and second album,people will feel he has strayed from hip hop but as he has always said he has always written soul music as it was he... Read more
Published on 9 April 2010 by Mr. WJ EDWARDS
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