Craig Bennett Music Reviews

Reviews (Depending on the Kindness of Strangers)

"There's a lot to be said for 'Sweet and Twisted's dead pan, ever-so-slightly-glam pop --it's just plain fun to listen to Bennett, who seems like he's having huge amounts of fun even during his more morose songs. Sweet and Twisted's off-kilter confessionals and character sketches are charming for their idiosyncrasies ...The self-effacing lyrics, too, are charming as hell without ever becoming precious.
For all his Britpop leanings, Bennett is a New York City boy at heart, and there's a strong sense of place in his mentions of streets and late-night jaunts, "a short walk through a tall city" and "that giant sheet music store on 44th". He goes on about all these girls he's known or wanted to know or didn't feel like knowing anymore, and it seems like no one's ever sung about girls before. It's sweet and self-mocking and slightly-grumpy enough to be incredibly likable, even in the face of suspect song titles like "Campus Cutie" -- never exploitative, as it could easily have been.

When the eponymous lead character of "Nancy" complains that he "was nothing but a 'pop poet' and (his) shows were boring", it's telling about both her and the narrator; Bennett may think of himself as just a "pop poet", but Sweet and Twisted reveals his potential to be much more. - Mandy Shekleton Splendid E-zine

"Magnificent compositional and production talents ... profoundly artistic, creative, and edge-bending, genre-defining stuff. Grab "More City Sadness"- it's classic and an absolutely gorgeous rock pop theatrical record. Independent music art at its finest."

Earbuzz

"More City Sadness" is a wonderful and odd record. In a time when artists no longer practice art, "More City Sadness" stuns with its pure artiness."

BangSheet

"Craig Bennett's songs make you want to hole up in a dimly lit room by yourself, just you and your cigarettes, and cry slow silent tears. Not because his songs are sad, but because they're so effortlessly beautiful, so lush and compelling, so immaculately conceived and written and sung … you know that he has written songs that you would write if you could only find the words."

Lycos Music

"In a very unique and refreshing indie release, Craig Bennett serves up an off-kilter, trebly, acoustic sound with a vocal style that places emphasis on odd words. ...it's a rare treat to find one so musically mature and satisfyingly original."

Stranger Things Magazine

"…One of the best singer-songwriters to emerge from the British pop tradition can be found right under our noses. In Georgia, in fact…Bennett is really a poet with a guitar... (He) colors his songs with true nonchalant cool. Overall, Craig Bennett is a songwriter for whom no obvious contemporary parallel exists. In short, he's the best "British" songwriter America has produced in some time, and his brand of elegantly layered pop is well worth checking out."

-Matt Fink, DOA (Denver,CO)

"The disc (More City Sadness) sounds quite wonderful. There is plenty beneath the veneer that invites a listener back again for more ... You know, it would be great if the next big thing from the U.K. sounded like this. I'm just happy someone turned the trick. Bennett sure knows his way around a pop song."

Aiding & Abetting (Durham, NC)

"Bennett's blend of coffeehouse psychedelia and British pop shines even on the darkest of days, and poems-turned-lyrics throw a left curve on songs like "Blue Streak," "Beautiful Face" and "Montgomery Clift." Orchestral strings add a larger-than-life sound to the mix, making More City Sadness something worth anyone's attention." - Omar Perez, Altar Native (Miami, FL)

"More City Sadness" is a luscious pop record, stacked horns, keyboards and strings. Based in Georgia, newcomer Craig Bennett stitches his keen eye for scenes of urban decay to portraits of emotional ennui. Vocal-wise he comes across like a cross between a young David Bowie and Luke Haines of the Auteurs, and although the record never quite rocks as hard as the first Suede album, the froth that rises to the top of the brew is pungent and disorientating. In a glam-tastic way, of course." Betamusic (Singapore)

"Craig Bennett is a kind of cross between catchy Brit-pop and pensive American indie rock circa early REM. Jaunty rhythms, punchy drums, catchy choruses, breathy vocals, dour demeanor and the occasional string part combine to make the effect. Clever lyrics abound." Splendid E-Zine (review of "More City Sadness")

" 'More City Sadness' is the product of the modern version of Simon & Garfunkel rolled into one person with a nip of Brit pop thrown in for flavor. "More City Sadness" is a great album." Muscene.com (Chicago, IL)

"Craig has one of those voices that stands out in a crowd of singers. His vocals are very soft and subtle, but contain a presence that is undeniable. The music is well composed with very unique and intelligent lyrics. Just don't expect the same old regurgitated crap from Craig Bennett that you hear everyday…" Michael Allison - THE GLOBALMUSE

"Craig Bennett serves up his pop with dark overtones, creating a hazy and depressing sound that takes the best from Bowie, Pink Floyd, and 80s new wave goth. Bennett is at his best when it sounds like he's not even trying. It's a strange and ironic coolness that holds a loose grip on this record." MISH MASH

"Bennett has a wry take on relationships. His lyrics have plenty of bite, but these aren't the songs of some disillusioned, heart-broken misanthrope. That's because Bennett is just as likely to turn the mirror on the characters in his songs (characters that are most likely him, at least from time to time). Coming to the heart of these observations isn't easy, however. Bennett hardly writes shiny songs, and while his plodding melodies do carry some charm, they aren't instant crowd-pleasers. Repeat listens are necessary, and recommended. Highly recommended." Aiding & Abetting (Durham, NC) review of "Happy Hollowdays"

Moderately tempoed moderate pop-n-roll with an intelligence and sophistication revealing a high level of craftsmanship... there's a sense of the early 1980s British New Wave (e.g. The Smiths, The Cure, XTC), or any of the 1970s prog/glam rockers (esp. David Bowie), or mid-1960s Beatles (Revolver, Sgt. Pepper)... There's a sadness and melancholy -- an unfulfillment -- woven into the fabric of the lyrics, portraying an individual who has wandered too close to the unpleasant, the uncertain, and perhaps the unfair. Richly textured and truly exquisite! Riff Gibson Raging Smolder Publications

"...while Bennett's songs have that comfortable, sing-a-long pop style, the focal point is still Bennett's lyrics, which are more often poetry than typical song fare. Bennett has created some mighty fine, hip, and perfectly produced songs..." - Jeff Marsh, editor, DOA(Denver, CO)

"... filled with original sounding arrangements that probably would be appreciated by fans of Belle & Sebastian, some older David Bowie, and other Euro-pop ..." -James Baumann, Swizzle-stick

"The music reminds me of a stripped down and less whiny Suede mixed with a slower tempo Stone Roses. I know that Mr. Bennett knows of the Stone Roses, as he makes references to Stone Roses singer, Ian Brown, in the title track- "I spent four years sporting an Ian Brown haircut just to win you over. Man, I couldn't do enough." So cheeky! Those more inclined to the British music scene should definitely check this album out."- Cindy Wong, Pop Culture Detox (San Francisco, CA)

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