Ben Everyman

Ben Everyman's sophomore album is idiosyncratic and wordy as hell. Like his 2011 debut, Iconoplastic, this second collection of anti-folk defies expectations at every turn. The songs are instrumentally textured, prominently featuring the Vancouver, BC songwriter's raw sense of humour — most obviously on "Don't Need Shit," when sweet female harmonies sparkle overtop of the chorus: "you don't need shit when you're in love." Cello, trumpet and piano add drama to the arrangements, as does his voice, which is a versatile instrument that yowls and growls by turns. This is a less anarchic effort than his first, with more accessible melodies and smoother production. Everyman's eccentric sensibilities have matured and mellowed, but, like last time, he tears down songwriting conventions and hammers up his own fascinating musical vision in their place.