Here's what Illinois Entertainer (IE), the leading music monthly published in the state of Illinois has to say about Plenty of Gold:
Though he blends gospel, country, and R&B, Ben Sage is not your traditional Americana folk artist. Over a sprawling 17 tracks, Sage mingles woodsy love songs (“Dialin’ For My Darlin’”) and religious praises (“With God”) with quirky, country-inflected folk (“You Make Me Feel Like John Wayne”) and poppy acoustic anthems (“Sun Power Me”). There’s a light-hearted irreverence that borders on parody at times, but there’s also genuinely skilled musicianship and colorful stories sprinkled throughout Plenty Of Gold.
– Patrick Conlan, Illinois Entertainer, January, 2011
Now here's a note from Ben Sage about the album:
This was a fun and healing album for me to record, from a period when I was facing some big challenges and changes in life, so I think there are feelings and thoughts expressed that a lot of people will relate to and appreciate.
With the exception of the piano part on "Still Playing Rock 'n' Roll," I created every sound on the album, including lead and backing vocals, and lead and rhythm guitars, plus parts for cornet, harmonica, and a wide array of percussive instruments. Produced with minimalist arrangements, home recording equipment and a shoestring budget, Plenty of Gold is a very organic labor of love.
One of my goals was to tap into some somewhat forgotten elements of the American popular music, such as doo-wop, and weave them into my country-flavored folk-rock material, here and there. I hope I also captured a touch of what made early rock ‘n’ roll so special, namely, FUN! (Check out "Life of a Comic Book Hero" to see what I mean.)
Please give Plenty of Gold a chance to win you over. There's something here for just about everyone.
Love and peace,
Ben Sage
March, 2010
ALBUM CREDITS:
Ben Sage - Lead vocals, backing vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, harmonica, cornet, lute, kazoo, clave, metal waste basket, finger cymbals, tambourine, shakers, block, drum sticks, drums, finger popping and whistling. All songs produced and arranged by Ben Sage.
Additional personnel: Benjie Hughes - Piano on "Still Playing Rock ‘n’ Roll"
All songs © & (P) 2009-2010 Bennett Neuhauser. All rights reserved. Bennett Neuhauser is a.k.a. Ben Sage
All songs BMI®.
Ben Sage is presented by Cool Dove / SunSpring Enterprises, Inc.
Other Ben Sage albums available on this site, CDBaby.com, iTunes, Amazon.com and elsewhere include: Troubadour and In Word and In Deed.
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