This is neither an album review, nor a gig review…a bit of both in fact. I have wanted to write a piece on, Benjamin Drew and his ‘Plan B’ since the inception of this blog in March and with an off week in terms of gig going, this is the opportunity I have been waiting for.
When my friend, Mr. Ireland, whom I frequently exchange musical discussions and oftentimes, disagreements with emailed me last October with the following blurb, I was keen to learn a little more about Plan B– “His 2nd album has gone mainstream over here as he’s added a classic Smokey Robinson-type soul sound to his London rapping. Not sure it’s for you with your preference of the blues and darker sounds but I love it”. Upon this recommendation, I went ahead and purchased ‘The Defamation of Strickland Banks’ as well as couple of tickets for the January 11th gig at Bowery Ballroom in New York ($15 a ticket, not much of a gamble).
Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew, principally known as Plan B or Ben Drew, was born in Forest Gate, North East London and is a mutli-talented British artist having turned his hand to rapping, singer-songwriting, acting and film directing. Plan B emerged as a hip hop artist who was critically acclaimed in 2006 with debut album, ‘Who Needs Actions When You Got Words’ in 2006. His second studio album, 'The Defamation of Strickland Banks' in 2010 (2011 in US) was something of a departure. It was a soul record and surprised many when it hit the top of the UK album chart on week one of release.
Drew has cited, Michael Jackson as his first real idol, before getting in to jungle music, hip hop, ‘The Prodigy’, punk and dreaming of becoming a rebel like, ‘Sex Pistols’, Johnny Rotten. Drew however always displayed a softer side in his passion for the first real music that he had heard and enjoyed at an early age - soul. Drew was faced with a dilemma. No one had any real desire to listen to some white boy from Forest Gate singing stupid little love songs, hence he chose rap which he now claims never rested well with him. He didn’t feel that he could write about being the pimp or the crack dealer that he was not. Clearly, Eminem’s presence had a massive impact on, Drew. “He (Eminem) was brilliant, he changed the whole game. He didn’t just influence white rappers, he influenced everyone. He showed that hip hop didn’t have to be about the rings and the money and the hos.”
Playing self taught guitar, rapping and singing in his own distinctive, North East London accent, Drew began to tell stories about the world in which he had grown up. His raw, provocative debut album, ‘Who Needs Actions When You Got Words’ broke new ground in UK hip hop. It was loud, coarse and riddled with an angry but truthful representation of life in modern day London estates. In addition to stoking the flames in Drew’s music career, the release also played a major part in providing him with an introduction to the acting world playing a hoodlum opposite, Michael Caine in thriller ‘Harry Brown’.
In early 2010, Plan B followed up with ‘The Defamation of Strickland Banks’ (this was only recently released in the US). In the story of, Strickland Banks, a sharp, well tailored British soul singer who finds success in singing bitter-sweet love songs such as, ‘Love Goes Down’ and ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ before losing everything when he ends up in prison for a crime that he didn’t commit. Strickland Banks is the alter ego of Ben Drew. ”He’s a chance for me to not have to be so serious, to go with my love of soul music. It was about creating a character that I could destroy, as well. So that I could still do my whole storytelling thing.”
Opening track, ‘Love Goes Down’ really sets the scene with its delicate, soulful and powerful song. Drew is clearly comfortable in this soul setting and this is the ‘easy like Sunday morning’ tune. ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ is very Smokey Robinson themed and tells the story of a relationship that fights to survive, but ultimately won’t last. Ben Drew’s high pitched, but controlled voice and smart lyrics combines well with horns and a funky guitar and drumbeat. ‘Stay Too Long’ follows with a livelier, rock beat and provides our first introduction to Drew’s soul music with a twist of rap (which I thoroughly enjoy). There is both energy and sadness in this one. In many ways, this, Strickland character is the bad guy that you just can’t help liking. ‘She Said’ is a charming little number and harks back to the soul sounds of the 60’s, but also has that modern zest that sounds a little, Amy Winehouse (remember her) and ‘Back to Black’.
Although I highly doubt that, Drew did any church singing in the North East of London as a kid, ‘Welcome To Hell’ is oddly a little more gospel with a choir like backing sound. Following which, ‘Hard Times’ is a smooth soul song in every aspect of the track. ‘Recluse’ goes back to the energetic sound of ‘Stay Too Long’ and is probably my favourite on the album with violin strings providing a fast and furious pace and Drew doing well to tell the story of life in jail and being alone in the world. Again, I love the combination of soul and Drew’s distinctive rap style…it works very well.
‘Traded In My Cigarettes’ is a decent slow burner (no pun intended) and ‘Prayin’’ that follows sounds so familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. It’s again a reminder of the soul music of the past with a huge flavour of modern beats and sounds. ‘Darkest Place’ is the most rap themed track on the album, but contains soulful chorus lines and again a plethora of strings accompanying this track. ‘Free’ is a happy little track which makes us feel good about things. I think back to ‘The Commitments’ album on this funky, jazzy little number with the “doo wah, doo wah’s” fitting brilliantly. “I aint guilty of these crimes, get these chains of me…”
I feel like the sweet and delightful, ‘I Know a Song’ would be an apt closer to this album, but, Drew instead plumps for the more aggressive and rebellious, ‘What You Gonna Do?’ which is plausible and sends the message that Strickland won’t back down regardless of what fate he faces.
‘The Defamation of Strickland Banks’ is the sound of Motown coupled with murky Northern Soul, filtered through the rough edge of modern-day East London. It is the strange, but successful marriage of Smokey Robinson and Eminem. It’s a compelling and sad story of a man who finds success hard to handle before hitting rock bottom.
Mrs ScoAustin and I went to see Plan B at the Bowery Ballroom on a snow laden New York City Tuesday evening and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Despite not necessarily being my genre of choice it was a very solid show in which Ben Drew displayed a variety of talents in rapping, soul, hip hop and funk. The human beat box that accompanied Drew, Faith SFX was absolutely fantastic entertainment and generated something a little different to the norm. Playing the album in its entirety before finishing up with a medley of Smokey Robinson, Ben E King, Paolo Nutini, Seal and Dr Dre this was a more than decent first show of the year.
From rap and hip hop to more soulful sounds, the talented and ambitious, Drew has recently informed us that his next project could entail a reggae album…I am already intrigued.
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