Brendan Benson - Metarie EP

The Metarie release is more like a glorified single than a full EP from Brendan Benson, following up the low-key brilliance of his sublime Lapalco album. Featuring two versions of the title track, two b-sides, and a Paul McCartney and Wings cover, the disc's tracks offer up an auspicious introduction to new listeners, provide a little insight into Benson's creative process in the studio, and tide existing fans over (albeit briefly) until another full LP is in the can. While not the catchiest song on Lapalco (where it first apeared in demo form), "Metarie" distills the Brendon Benson essence into a single shot of pop majesty, where effortless, instantly familiar chord changes sound fresh and new at the same time. Like a slightly more chipper Elliott Smith, the track's bittersweet melody is enhanced by savvy, lushly organic production; the full band version that kicks off the disc is much better than the original "UK" version, but simply having the two cuts to compare offer a priceless glimpse into the songwriting mind, and an insight into how a song can be revised and tweaked until it reaches listeners as "finished." The rest of the EP is no slouch either, with the bluesy McCartney track standing out simply on it's infectious energy. While it would have been great to include more material (I'm sure the prolific Benson has miles of unreleased tape stockpiled at his home studio in Detroit where all of Lapalco was recorded), especially when the title cut appears twice. However, some new music is much, much better than none at all when it comes to Brendan Benson's work. [www.brendan-benson.com]