Finland in swedish, Kuriren April 2007

 

www.crossrhythms Published Friday 9th March 2007

STYLE: Rock
DISTRIBUTION: Riverside RRCD109
BOX AMERICANA

Reviewed by Tim Holden

Finnish muso Antell has been around for a while with a large number of albums to his name - as well as some great art and a software company! 'Box Americana' (released in 2000) marked his move from straight electro dance to a more rock orientated sound and is full of interesting twists and turns. This album keeps interest going right to the last track. The guitar sounds are sometimes reminiscent of the Gillan Band and he uses atmospheric sound samples to set the scene for some songs or give an Art Of Noise feel here and there. Covering topics from where has the Gospel gone in American life through to how TV and films have captured a generation, the songs ask loads of questions and start pointing to God for the answers without ever trying to ram the theology down your throat. A well produced album with a nice touch of quirky humour.

The Phantom Tollbooth Saturday 17th 2007

LUNA PARK review in english on the PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH press this link for the entire review!

Whoa nelly! Ben Antell Band is an indy-rock band from Sweden (they sing in English) that have created a blessedly warped and catchy bunch o' tunes on Luna Park. This album is a flat out blast...a rough and tumble mix of psychedelic/classic rock sounds from Hendrix, Zeppelin, T. Rex, and the Beatles dropped in a blender and mixed with indy sensibilities and various odd instruments (kantele, violin, cello, landoline, Hohner clavinet, harp, rain stick, and the ominous Crash of Doom). I like the way this band thinks and executes...according to the liner note this CD was created "by the two founding members of The Ben Antell Band, while the rest of the band were on vacation." Sixten Sandvik pounds the acoustic drums, and Antell plays all other instruments. The production is decidedly lo-fi...and the music and lyrics a huge amount of fun.

Do yourself a favor and check out for musical thrills and chills a bit unlike anything you have heard recently. And you gotta' love titles like "What a Beautiful Dei," "Piccolo Bell Boy," "Camel Race - Helter Skelter Days," and the ever popular "Really Hidden Track."

Check out the band: http://www.antell.com

Barry Nothstine hosts Soul Frequency Radio (http://www.soulfrequency.com), a weekly freeform FM radio show showcasing progressive rock, instrumental rock, power-pop, psychedelic rock, rock classics, blues, and more—great rock for the ages!

Vasabladet Thursday 28th December 2006

An in depth LUNA PARK review in swedish .

Cross Rhythems Friday 17th November 2006

Finland's Ben Antell Band release 'Lunar Park' album
ZANY ROCK iconoclast Ben Antell has released a new Ben Antell Band album, 'Lunar Park: In Glorious Black & White'. The 19-song (plus hidden track) project is described as "yet another musical diary from Benjamin Antell, the lone arranger from South Wartzor, Finland."

Cross Rhythems

STYLE: Dance/Electronic
RATING 7 out of 10
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 933- DISTRIBUTION:
Riverside Records, Stockholm FORMAT: CD Album
This product is currently not available from Cross Rhythms Direct
Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Future Music magazine described Mr Antell's output as "weird tunes, great rhythms", and I wouldn't argue. Seriously off-centre stuff, jam full of intriguing electronic blips and bleeps, eccentric samples and some real playing from a bunch of eclectic musos able to play everything from cut up rock to be bop. Then there's "Watersong" with an accompaniment entirely of sampled sounds of water splashing and gurgling! Then we come to Ben's surreal lyrics. "There's A God In My Garage" seems to deal with people who make gods out of cars. Then there's a spoken joke about a parrot and a Christmas dinner, a fragmentary look at materialism, a moody instrumental "Through A Glass Darkly" and the nearest thing to a gospel song "If You Find The Light" with a didgeridoo in the accompaniment. If you're looking for the avant garde this talented multi-instrumentalist from Sweden is your man.
Automata 5.0 Review by Richard Maaranen, Canada

Liquid Elevator - demo (independent, 2003)

Liquid Elevator was one of the most appealing newcomers on the Escape
the Furnace 3& 4 compilation with the industrial groove rock track "Climb Position Maximum".
Behind Liquid Elevator is Benjamin Antell, whose upbringing in Australia, Sweden, and Finland
contributes to his original sound. The seven tracks on this demo of industrial remixes (or
"demixes" as he calls them) are mostly derived from his solo electronic pop release Box
Americana with the assistance of Michael Waegar and Australian female singer Jane Kitto.
Vocals, all in English, vary noticeably from track to track as Benjamin experiments with
chord clashes and the manipulation of samples from both singers. There is a guitar crunch
throughout which has more of a blues rock flavor with its groove and squeals than the
power chords of the metal genre. Intermixed with all of this are pounding dance beats and
mechanical percussion making a formal full-length something for industrial fans to look
forward to. (RM)

An interview with Benjamin Antell by: William Lynch 1-08-19

HUFVUDSTADSBLADET


"We are playing "THERE'S A GOD IN MY GARAGE"
and our audience loves it!!!,
W.I.T.R. 89.7FM, New York

FutureNet
"Weird tunes, great rhythms...",
FUTURE MUSIC MAGAZINE, England


"A reviewers nightmare. Interesting and refreshing.
Electronic and traditional but damn diverse!",
SUB MAGAZINE, Belgium

The Phantom Tollboth, USA
"If you enjoy listening to Beck, Passafist, and Situation Taboo,
then you'll probably enjoy this record."
By Joe Rockstroh (09/03/98)

The Phantom Tollboth, USA
New review -99: Combined with a further few tracks,
this CD is evidence of a genius at work.
If only this release could get major distribution in North America,
it would definately inject some much needed new blood into the works.
By John Vanden Heuvel (1/23/99)

HUFVUDSTADSBLADET