Review. Benjamin Shaw - There's Always Hope, There's Always Cabernet

Shortly after I purchased Benjamin Shaw's EP, 'I Got the Pox, the Pox is What I Got' last February, I fell victim of the chicken pox. So, when I read the title of his debut album, released on Audio Antihero (an incredible record label that more folk ought to be aware of), I was not only excited at the prospect of a full length LP from Mr Shaw, but also the possibility that I would soon be drunk on cabernet. I doubt there'll be many better album titles than There's Always Hope, There's Always Cabernet, as it is undoubtedly amusing, yet captures the mood of the album perfectly.

There's something in Shaw's sound which conveys such great emotion in the most simple of songs. In How to Test the Depth of a Well, Shaw laments, "and you shouldn't make up stupid songs just to get applause", and he certainly lives up to this maxim. Cabernet has an incredible gravitas and depth to it which makes the album a true work of art, an accolade which few albums justify.

Shaw covers themes of the despair and demotivation of jobs hated and loves lost, with a smattering of incisive wit. Home, in particular, is a delight, awash with brutal imagery - "Every time you have a baby your diaphragm is blown and everybody sees your inside. Should have stayed at home".

However, this album shouldn't work. Its sound is stripped back to its barest of bones and has a feeling of untidiness throughout, but somehow this is turned into something which is utterly brilliant and enchanting. Shaw is clearly a master of creating something beautiful from the most simple of moments, such as an Interview, or a twang of nostalgia in Home. Cabernet is one of those rare albums that it leaves the room feeling empty when it comes to an end with its simplicity and this is a testament to the immense talent of Shaw.

Buy There's Always Hope, There's Always Cabernet from Audio Antihero here.

8.0/10