Ben Limpic - “Issabelle” Album Review (2020)
TRACKLIST:
CUMBERLAND
WE DON’T CHANGE
ISSABELLE
LOVE DON’T WANT ME
YOUR HEART IS A PIECE OF PAPER
10 OUT OF 10
OVERALL: 8.8/10 (88%)
SOUND DESIGN: 9/10
ORIGINALITY: 7/10
LYRICS: 8/10
REPLAY FACTOR: 10/10
INSTRUMENTAL DEXTERITY: 10/10
Seldom do we come across an album that has this much diversity, while still sitting comfortably enough to not put anyone off. In Ben Limpic’s newest EP, Issabelle, the San Diego based singer/songwriter shares his vulnerability, putting himself on display for all to see.
Starting strong, Limpic opens Issabelle with the indie-rock powerhouse, “Cumberland”. As the song continues, it’s clear that Limpic is not messing around. While his production has always been strong, it’s especially powerful in this introduction to his latest release. We aren’t kidding when we say this song is an absolute ear worm, but more on that later.
The next track, “We Don’t Change” opens with a somber acoustic guitar riff, that seamlessly leads into another example of Limpic’s dexterity, hitting hammer ons and pull offs that would leave Slash in awe. While the first two tracks set the pace for this indie driven release, the following song seems to flip the pace on its head.
The title track, “Issabelle”, at first seems to appear out of the blue with a bluegrass/folk based sound that was previously foreign to the album. As the song progresses however, it’s clear that this song was written with Limpic’s heart pinned to his sleeve. Diving deeper into the lyrics of the song however, it depicts a lack of self-love, and the need to be under the influence to feel normal. All of these themes finally tie themselves up in a lovely bow by the chorus, explaining that he would take all of the love he is capable of giving, and hand it to his now wife, Issabelle. (Hear more about this in our interview!) This emotional vulnerability only becomes more clear with the next track, “Love Don’t Want Me”.
While we don’t want to spend the entire article only complimenting Limpic’s talents, “Love Don’t Want Me” is a perfect example of Limpic’s ability to build a crescendo, using every one of his resources, while still not sounding overloaded or overproduced.
The final track, “10 Out Of 10” ends the album on a very uplifting note. While this may be the most “predictable” track off this release, it acts as a beautiful ray of sunshine peaking out from behind the clouds. With a bouncy, happy-go-lucky beat, this is the perfect song to listen to while driving along the beach during sunset.
Most times, albums with a duration of less than 30 minutes, either don’t wander out of their genre, or are a punch to your gut, leaving you emotionally overwhelmed. The beauty of Issabelle is that it successfully takes you into the mind of Ben Limpic, through his ups and downs, yet still leaves you feeling hopeful and emotionally satisfied. Not to mention, this EP is FULL of ear worms that will leave you humming to yourself and singing the choruses over and over again.
Ben Limpic’s newest release, Issabelle is now streaming on all platforms!