MUSIC REVIEW: BEN HARPER AND THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS’ BURN TO SHINE

"Ben Harper, a music artist and performer from California, has won many sought-after awards over the course of his career; it’s not a stretch to say that Harper knows how to write strong music. As true as this is today, it was certainly still true in 1999, the year he released “Burn to Shine”: an album collaborating with The Innocent Criminals, whom he would collaborate with on several more occasions in the future.

After listening to each track of the album, there were a few clear standouts: namely “Less”, “Suzie Blue”, “Steal My Kisses”, and the title track, “Burn to Shine”. The thing that each of these songs has in common is the level to which each song is stylized. “Less” is a mixture of blues and rock with slight metal influence; “Suzie Blue” incorporates ‘big-band’ sound to give an oldies feel; “Steal My Kisses” is noticeably more upbeat than the rest of the album, and carries a very enjoyable sound; and finally, “Burn to Shine” brings a lot of rock influence to the table, but still captures Harper’s unique voice (both literally and metaphorically).

Overall, “Burn to Shine” is a varied, well-executed, and well-received album from Harper and The Innocent Criminals. It was Harper’s fourth album, and although it didn’t bring home any newsworthy awards, it certainly helped to solidify Harper’s unique style, as well as giving him a legitimate outlet to experiment with his sound. I personally have a lot of respect for Harper and his work, even though I felt a few tracks didn’t connect with me as well as others: he managed to create a successful, collaborative album without conforming to what society thought music should sound like. I would strongly recommend this album to people looking for some variety in their music taste."