I’ve forgotten how I chanced upon Ben Howard’s music – it could be through Communion Music‘s recommendations or my random stalking of folk artists – nonetheless, I was more than happy to discover his music. With three releases under his belt: The Old Pine EP, my personal favourite Every Kingdom, and the recently released, The Burgh Island EP, Howard is proving to be an exciting act to follow.
Since the release of Every Kingdom in the UK and being nominated for a Mercury Prize (which lost to Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave), Howard toured the US and dropped by SXSW and other music festivals like Bonaroo and Austin City Limits. During live performances, the wonderful India Bourne on vocals and cello and Chris Bond on bass and percussion accompanies this guitar-picking genius to create beautiful and soulful renditions of his tracks.
The track “Only Love” seems to be my go-to recommended track for everyone who hasn’t heard of Ben Howard yet, but this live performance of “Under the Same Sun” showcases his undeniable talent; I don’t see why anyone would pay him less attention than he deserves.
Dawn Lanuza 