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The full range of Ben Harper's influences would not come to bear until later albums, but his debut, Welcome to the Cruel World, lays a strong foundation. "Like a King" and "Take That Attitude to Your Grave" burn with a political conviction rarely heard during the 1990s. "Forever" has a tenderness which demonstrates Harper's emotional range. Lackluster hippie jams that cultivated his early following may have served a purpose but feel fluffy by comparison when compared to the meatier tracks. Ben closes the album with a song that frequently closes his concerts, "I'll Rise." This song, built around Maya Angelou's 1979 poem "And Still I Rise," reminds one of art's ability to pierce through society, self, and the soul.
© Ryan Randall Goble /TiVo
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Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mcknight, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Darrow, Composer, Author - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mcknight, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Composer, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mcknight, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records
Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mcknight, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Composer, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records
Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Taylor , Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mcknight, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer - Clarence Butler, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Clabe Hangan, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth McDaniel, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Suzie Katayama, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer - Richard Cook, Bagpipes, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer - J P Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Taylor , Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer - Clarence Butler, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Clabe Hangan, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth McDaniel, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Composer, Author, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mcknight, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Ben Harper, Composer, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Williams, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Maya Angelou, Author - Eddy Schreyer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mikal Reid, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rock Deadrick, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Jean Pierre Plunier, Producer - Jelani Jones, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Clyde Allen, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Gail Deadrick, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
Album review
The full range of Ben Harper's influences would not come to bear until later albums, but his debut, Welcome to the Cruel World, lays a strong foundation. "Like a King" and "Take That Attitude to Your Grave" burn with a political conviction rarely heard during the 1990s. "Forever" has a tenderness which demonstrates Harper's emotional range. Lackluster hippie jams that cultivated his early following may have served a purpose but feel fluffy by comparison when compared to the meatier tracks. Ben closes the album with a song that frequently closes his concerts, "I'll Rise." This song, built around Maya Angelou's 1979 poem "And Still I Rise," reminds one of art's ability to pierce through society, self, and the soul.
© Ryan Randall Goble /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:07
- Main artists: Ben Harper
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc. ℗ 1994 Virgin Records America, Inc.
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