The Defamation of Strickland Banks [Explicit Lyrics]

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

Plan B, or Ben Drew to avoid confusion with the various other Plan Bs in operation, first emerged to the mainstream in 2006 with the album Who Needs Actions When You Got Words. The Forest Gate fox set out his stall as a – putting it mildly – angry issues-based young man in thrall to Eminem, and would probably have had your eye out if you so much as looked as him funny. This led to an acting sideline in Noel Clarke’s Adulthood, as well as a star turn in last year’s Harry Brown.

Now, a few years on, our Ben has calmed down a bit and returned with a concept album (an accompanying film is in production) that should finally get him known past the gritty urban set, ascending to the national consciousness. The Defamation of Strickland Banks is a story-based soul-up volte-face about a man being wrongly sent dahn, and an album that will see Drew added to the list of artists who’ve delivered not-bad debuts, but amazing follow-ups.

A genuine great leap forward, Defamation is a cracker. The two breakthrough singles lead from the front – Stay Too Long manages to combine the urgency of northern soul with the giddiness of Drew’s breathless rap delivery, and the catchier She Said is a welcome addition to daytime radio. Elsewhere, on Welcome to Hell he trills like a scared-to-pick-up-the-soap-in-the-prison-shower Smokey Robinson, while Hard Times and Love Goes Down are just lovely – anyone operating in the greasy world of pop would give a limb for such songs. Prayin’ could give Amy Winehouse a run for her old soul beehive, and her recent work hovers over most of the arrangements and styles Ben decides to lend his ASBO soul revue. There’s a bit more swearing though, just in case you thought he'd gone totally soft.

Defamation is a great little album which could steer Drew towards being one of the year’s biggest pop stars, and further onto realising his film ambitions. Or, perhaps this is just a side-step for him, and he’ll go krautrock on album three. No matter, if this hasn’t shifted the best part of a million by 2010’s end, then I’ll despair. I really will. Tremendous work. --Ian Wade

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Arriving straight after his fantastic top 10 hit "End Credits" with Chase & Status and impressing Michael Caine with his acting chops in acclaimed British thriller Harry Brown, Plan B AKA 24 Year old Londoner Ben Drew is ready to release what is becoming one of the most anticipated albums of the year.

Produced by Paul Epworth, the studio genius behind recent hits by Florence & the Machine, The Big Pink and Friendly Fires, The Defamation of Strickland Banks is the sound of Motown, Stax and Northern soul, filtered through the grit of contemporary East London.

PLAN B The Defamation Of Strickland Banks (2010 UK 13-track CD album - Produced by Paul Epworth The Defamation of Strickland Banks is the sound of Motown Stax and Northern soul filtered through the grit of contemporary East London. The switchblade sharp soul sound of the album is perfectly recreated on stage complete with a brilliant sharp-suited band and backing singers. Includes the singles Stay Too Long She Said Prayin The Recluse and Love Goes Down)