Ben Carroll: Press Quotes

Soulful and sensuous

A heart-on-sleeve mix of folk and soul.

Growing up under the influence of...harmony-infused folk and pop, Carroll has found his own musical identity by incorporating a soulful lilt to his James Taylor acoustics.

Real Thing...Yes he is. I’ve seen this handsome and charismatic New Yorker perform with just an acoustic guitar, and he killed. Possessing a clear, sweet voice and a satchel full of catchy folk-pop songs about life and love...It’s a throwback sound, kinda early Nilsson, but more upbeat.

(On his second album Real Thing)…Ben Carroll carries on the family tradition of soulful singing and R&B music. While his first record showcased his soulful singing ability against a folk & blues background, his new record brings out the Stax/Motown flavor with a full band sound.

One thing that stands out about Carroll's music is his songwriting. He writes crisp, descriptive lyrics that flow and blend wonderfully with the music. Never one to be hung up with genres, he moves fluidly from folk to soul to blues to pop.

The upcoming record will feature 11 original songs and should be released in October. It is being released throughout the UK on Blue Cloud Records and available everywhere online.

Ben Carroll, a solo artist who is a cross between John Legend and John Mayer, played the prestigious indie rock club The Living Room in New York City, known for featuring artists on XM Radio's program "From The Living Room To The Loft." His show included a cappella numbers, folk tunes, blues ballads, and jazz pop suites. Like Legend and Mayer, Carroll's vocals caressed the lyrics and actually massaged the notes as he played the acoustic guitar and created a rhythm in the melodies that gave them a funky beat. Joining Ben was bass guitarist Greg Richardson, who produced undertones of jazz grooves in the songs.

Acoustic blues pop arias like "My Darling True" and "Lover Undercover" showcased Carroll's romantic side with a little Spanish zest on "My Darling True" and some vocal pirouettes around the lulling guitar chords. The stand out tracks were his rendition of Prince's hit song "Kiss," in which he kept the perky vocal tweaks and hooks that ornament the melody, and the encore number "Grinnin' In Your Face" in which Carroll had the entire audience clapping along to the gospel pulsed beats. The a cappella finale was done without a mic, relying completely on the natural amplification of Carroll's voice filling the venue. It was the most vocally demanding song in his set and he saved it for last when most singers feel at their weakest, but Carroll was at his strongest.