Ben Harper

This California native's four principal weapons are a smooth, airy voice; enviable facility on an unusual instrument (the Weissenborn lap steel guitar); a deep love for American roots music; and a righteous moral compass. By combining these features, he's come up with a socially and spiritually conscious soul/folk hybrid that's often a little lightweight, but never less than pleasant.

Predominantly acoustic, Welcome to the Cruel World is the closest Harper's come to making a straight folk record. Though the songs deal with big issues, most notably racism, Harper's too loose to get angry, and the prevailing vibe is one of quiet dignity, broken only by the jaunty, zydeco-infused "Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now." Fight for Your Mind dabbles with funk grooves, but except for the extended feedback freakout on "God Fearing Man," it's pretty mellow stuff. Titles like "Oppression," "People Lead," and "Power of the Gospel" show where Harper's head is at; they also display a tiresome penchant for soapbox sloganeering.

With its deft production touches -- a backward track here, a cool vocal filter there -- The Will to Live is a more engaging listen, but by now Harper's laid-back approach is becoming a liability. Even when the band's raging behind him, his voice barely rises above a hushed coo. Finally, on Burn to Shine, Harper allows himself to cut loose as a singer, fulfilling the promise he'd always shown. It doesn't hurt that the songs are among his best, from the Curtis Mayfield stylings of "The Woman in You" to the New Orleans brass-band whimsy of "Suzie Blue" and the raunchy, Stones-like title track. Harper's winning streak continued with Diamonds on the Inside, which found him further refining and expanding his sound; highlights include the self-explanatory "Bring the Funk" and the a cappella gem "Picture of Jesus," guest-starring Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The guy still preaches too much, but his grooves are so tight that it seems silly to complain. Two lengthy in-concert discs may be more Ben Harper than a non-fan needs. Still, Live from Mars is valuable for demonstrating just how incendiary a performer Harper can be. The covers of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" and Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" are great fun, too. (MAC RANDALL)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide