‘Sentimental Fever,’ the debut album from Wyoming singer-songwriter Ben Musser, is out now via Blackbird Record Label, and it’s a record that covers serious ground without once losing its footing.
Musser wrote every song and played nearly every instrument across the album, a demanding two-week session that produced something genuinely personal and sonically wide-ranging. The record moves through folk-rock, Americana, blues, classic pop, soul, and even 1950s doo-wop, all filtered through the lens of a man taking honest stock of his own life.
Lead single “Falling by the Wayside” sets the tone immediately. A propulsive, politically charged blues-rocker driven by Wurlitzer and slide guitar, it channels the spirit of Eric Clapton and Duane Allman’s 1970s heyday while delivering a pointed message about apathy and disengagement. “I’m sounding the alarm,” Musser says, “that the life and privileges enjoyed by Americans is ‘Falling by the Wayside’ because of apathy.”
GRAMMY-winning legend Scott Mathews plays drums on the track, moving between sparse alt-rock toms in the verses and full ride-cymbal rock on the choruses. It’s a master class in restraint and release, and Mathews brought the same instinct to his contributions across the album, adding drums, spinet, and background vocals to 2 tracks total.
The album was co-produced with Mathews, whose production credits span The Beach Boys, Mick Jagger, Van Morrison, and Roy Orbison. Mastering came from Jeff Lipton, whose resume includes Bob Mould, Andrew Bird, Madison Cunningham, and Stephen Malkmus. The pedigree surrounding ‘Sentimental Fever’ is considerable, and the record holds up to it.
Released under his own name for the first time (formerly recording as Benyaro), ‘Sentimental Fever’ is Musser being a good husband, a father, a man in love, a man with losses, and a citizen with something to say. The whole thing was recorded at his Jackson Hole, Wyoming homestead, and that sense of place runs through every track.