Ben Varian - Part of the Y'all

"Part of the Y'all" is the follow up to one of our favorite tapes of last year, "Real Domestic Scene" (released via the excellent Patient Sounds). The new album finds Ben transitioning from the relative lo-fi to the relatively hi, which can be a tricky thing to do for a solo bedroom pop artist. We're very happy to report that Ben made the transition flawlessly. His songwriting and instrumentation have never been more polished, but he hasn't lost an iota of his creativity and verve. "Part of the Y'all" finds a truly talented artist indulging every whim, and it pays off in a huge way. A little proggy, a little funky and all pop genius - it continuously hits that sweet spot between accessibility and experimentation. I think history will remember this record as a seminal work from a bizarro pop maestro.