Ben Harper fans rejoice, our man from Cali has a new CD.
He's resisted the temptation to capitalize on his brief brush with the mainstream and created another masterpiece, Diamonds on the Inside on Virgin Records.
Now you might hear the word masterpiece thrown around like so many other sparkling words these days - I assure you, Diamonds is just that.
As for the brush with the mainstream, that was due to the minor hit "Steal My Kisses" from Harper's 1999 Burn to Shine disc. The songs broke Harper out of his usual circles, but didn't exactly rocket him to superstardom.
Instead, Harper released the live CD Live from Mars and lay low with new wife Laura Dern. A lesser man and musician would've emerged with a plethora of pop pabulum.
Harper turned around and created the best CD of his career, a disc that deftly handles every musical form he's worked with in his nearly decade-long career.
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Whether it's reggae, bottleneck blues or straight up rock, Diamonds on the Inside has it all.
Harper did it all despite not working with longtime producer J.P. Plunier. Often when a musician moves to producing their own records, the results are tragic. In this case, it's a triumph.
Harper adds some new twists, like the neo-country title track, an '80s-tinged funk groover "Bring the Funk" and the rocking "Temporary Remedy." Harper even returns to his gospel fixation with two top-notch efforts "Picture of Jesus" and "Blessed To Be a Witness."
Some musicians bow under the weight of multiple genres - they simply can't handle the numerous nuances required. But Harper seems to be the exact opposite. It's almost as though he gets stronger with each different facet he shows.
Diamonds on the Inside shows again that Harper is not only one of the most gifted musicians of his generation, but also one of its best songwriters. If his place alongside masters like Dylan, Marley and Lennon wasn't already reserved, it is now.
