Both Sides of the Gun
Encyclopedia
Both Sides of the Gun, is a Ben Harper
album released in 2006. Split into two discs, the title suggests at the two sides of Harper's musical nature. The first disc ("White") is made of mostly acoustic and string-driven songs hinted at on the last track ("She's Only Happy In The Sun") of Harper's previous album Diamonds on the Inside
. The second disc ("Black") is made of the more rootsy and upbeat material and touching on genres such as hard rock
, funk
and gospel
.
The album saw Harper playing the majority of the instruments on both discs; an approach that he had rarely used on his previous albums. However, the Innocent Criminals would appear on a few tracks whilst his later band, Relentless7
, would appear together for the first time on "Serve Your Soul", the last track on the second disc.
The album became Harper's first US top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 200 album charts, entering and peaking at #7 on its release. To date it is his highest album entry in that chart.
Disc 1 - "White"
Disc 2 - "Black"
Disc 3 (Special Edition package only)
The album was also released as a Limited Special Edition box set including a Bonus CD featuring four alternate mixes and two live tracks.
Ben Harper
Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
album released in 2006. Split into two discs, the title suggests at the two sides of Harper's musical nature. The first disc ("White") is made of mostly acoustic and string-driven songs hinted at on the last track ("She's Only Happy In The Sun") of Harper's previous album Diamonds on the Inside
Diamonds on the Inside
Diamonds On the Inside is Ben Harper's first work without crediting the Innocent Criminals in almost 10 years, although all the touring members continue to support him on the album. On this album, Harper brought on several new editions to his band, the first being guitarist Nicky Panicci in 2002...
. The second disc ("Black") is made of the more rootsy and upbeat material and touching on genres such as hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
.
The album saw Harper playing the majority of the instruments on both discs; an approach that he had rarely used on his previous albums. However, the Innocent Criminals would appear on a few tracks whilst his later band, Relentless7
Relentless7
Relentless7 is an American rock band formed in 2008 by singer/guitarist Ben Harper. The current members are Harper , Jason Mozersky , Jesse Ingalls , and Jordan Richardson .-History:...
, would appear together for the first time on "Serve Your Soul", the last track on the second disc.
The album became Harper's first US top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 200 album charts, entering and peaking at #7 on its release. To date it is his highest album entry in that chart.
Track listing
All songs written by Ben Harper, except as indicated.Disc 1 - "White"
- "Morning Yearning" – 4:09
- "Waiting for You" (Ben Harper/Michael Ward) – 3:34
- "Picture in a Frame" (Ben Harper/Michael Ward/Juan Nelson/Oliver Charles/Jason Yates/Leon Mobley) – 4:36
- "Never Leave Lonely Alone" – 2:51
- "Sweet Nothing Serenade" – 2:44
- "Reason to Mourn" – 4:26
- "More Than Sorry" (Ben Harper/Danny Kalb) – 3:24
- "Cryin' Won't Help You Now" – 2:35
- "Happy Everafter in Your Eyes" – 2:31
Disc 2 - "Black"
- "Better WayBetter Way"Better Way" is a song by singer-songwriter Ben Harper. It is the first track on disc two of his 2006 album Both Sides of the Gun, and was released as the album's first single. A live version of the song appears on Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace, a compilation album by various artists supporting...
" – 3:58 - "Both Sides of the Gun" – 2:44
- "Engraved Invitation" – 2:55
- "Black Rain" (Ben Harper/Jason Yates) – 2:57
- "Gather 'Round the Stone" – 3:08
- "Please Don't Talk About Murder While I'm Eating" – 2:34
- "Get It Like You Like It" – 3:27
- "The Way You Found Me" – 2:53
- "Serve Your Soul" – 8:22
Disc 3 (Special Edition package only)
The album was also released as a Limited Special Edition box set including a Bonus CD featuring four alternate mixes and two live tracks.
- Gather ‘Round The Stone (Alternate Version Mix)
- Reason To Mourn (Alternate Mix)
- Get It Like You Like It (Live, Acoustic)
- Waiting For You (Alternate Mix)
- Morning Yearning (Alternate Mix)
- Beloved One (Live)
Personnel
- Ben HarperBen HarperBenjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
- Vocals, slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
, acoustic guitar, WeissenbornWeissenbornWeissenborn or H. Weissenborn is a brand of lap slide guitar manufactured by Hermann Weissenborn in Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s....
, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion, piano, vibes, - Juan Nelson - Bass
- Oliver Francis Charles - Drums
- Leon MobleyLeon MobleyLeon Mobley is a percussionist and drummer, founder and artistic and musical director of Da Lion and Djimbe West African Drummers and Dancers and a member of The Innocent Criminals, Ben Harper's band. He is presently working with Damian Marley and Nas on the project called "Distant Relatives" Leon...
- Percussion - Jason Yates - Keys
- Matt Cory - Bass
- Michael WardMichael Ward (musician)Michael Ward is an American guitarist who has played with the bands School of Fish and The Wallflowers. He also played on John Hiatt's album Perfectly Good Guitar.-With School of Fish:* School of Fish * Live in L.A....
- Guitar, bass - JP Plunier - Drums
- Charlie MusselwhiteCharlie MusselwhiteCharlie Musselwhite is an American electric blues harmonica player and bandleader, one of the non-black bluesmen who came to prominence in the early 1960s, along with Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield. Though he has often been identified as a "white bluesman", he claims Native American heritage...
- Backing vocals - David LindleyDavid Lindley (musician)David Perry Lindley is an American musician who is notable for his work with Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, and other rock musicians. He has worked extensively in other genres as well, performing with artists as varied as Curtis Mayfield and Dolly Parton...
- Tambura - Greg KurstinGreg KurstinGregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
- Hammond B3 - Marc FordMarc FordMarc Ford , is an American blues-rock guitarist. He's a former lead guitarist of the rock and roll jam band The Black Crowes and the leader of his own bands .-Burning Tree:Ford began his career with the blues-rock outfit Burning...
- Guitar - Alyssa Park, Joel Pargman, Patrick Rosalez, Brett Banducci, Timothy Loo - Strings
- David PalmerDave Palmer (American keyboardist)Dave Palmer is an American session keyboardist native to Texas and living in Studio City, California. Palmer has toured, performed, or recorded with Air, Fiona Apple, Seal, Chris Isaak, Joe Henry, Bobby Previte, Wayne Horvitz, Ponga, Critters Buggin, MC 900 Foot Jesus, Aimee Mann, Solomon Burke,...
- Keys - Danny KalbDanny KalbDanny Kalb is an American blues guitarist, and was one of the original members of the 1960s group, Blues Project.-Life and career:...
- Guitar, sound engineer - Jan Ghazi - Electric guitar, backing vocals
- Nick Sandro - Bass, backing vocals
- Jason Mozersky - Guitar
- Scott Thomas - Backing vocals
- Jose MedelesJose MedelesJose Medeles is an American musician. He is the drummer for The Breeders, and in 1998 played drums for Face to Face as a touring member. He also played drums in 22 Jacks, appearing on Overserved and their final album Going North....
- Drums - Jesse Ingulls - Bass
- Jordan Richardson - Drums
- William Gus Seyffert - Bass
- Ellen Harper, Sue Chase, Michelle Griepentrog, Jennifer Ohrstrom, Natasha Cockrell - Backing vocals
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Albums Chart |
1 |