Album Notes

Released in November of 2006, this album yields a rich collection of songs charting previously untold depths unexplored in Ben's previous efforts. Gritty, honest and in some cases irreverent, these songs have an immediacy and a genuine quality rarely found in music today. Listening to the CD, you get the sense that Ben is finally comfortable in his own skin and these songs are not trying too hard, but simply translating his experiences and observations into four minute stories that take you in from the first chord.

The album is still very much rooted in Ben's love of folk music, but it is also a much more visceral and aggressive recording. The seething drive to the edge that is "Shut Me Down" should draw no comparisons to James Taylor. With it's throttled electric guitar and decidedly pessimistic lyric, the song is an intense burn until the hammering final chords. There are a number of well-crafted songs on the record including "Moving in and Out" and the title track "Waiting for the Light to Change" that demonstrate Ben's maturity as a writer and there are also moments on the record that are wonderfully spontaneous
like "No Future in the Past" where his 6-year-old son Dylan contributes a rambling story.

There are some wonderful themes running through this record of small town life and connections to the land as in "Blue Ridge," a song where Ben is joined by his old friend Kristian Bush of the muli-platinum selling country band, Sugarland. "Walk Away" and "Every Worthy Cause" are two wonderful war ballads that are timeless in their message, but strikingly relevant in these times of CNN-syndicated wars that have no end in sight.

Overall this album is comfortable and very listenable. Ben did most of the recordings in his basement with a handful of amazing players. There's no big time production, only big time performances and the wonderful honesty and insight we have come to expect from this largely unrecognized artist.