If you’re feeling a little lost or just tired from the working week, then this is the perfect soundtrack for your Sunday. It’s a warming yet slighted conflicted measure of rich guitar melodies, swelling emotional sincerity and heartbreakingly honest personal stories of loss, love and self discovery. ‘Let Go’ is the début EP from Chicago based singer/songwriter Ben Kramer.
Kramer explores a lot of ground on ‘Let Go’, from the title track about how a person sometimes can help you to let go of your inner demons and be free. Moving throughout the EP, we are filled with strong emotions from a troubled psyche ‘The Gates’ so when final track ‘Who I Will Be?’ hits, we feel like this great weight is being lifted off us because of it’s reassuring sense of optimism for the future.
Title track, ‘Let Go’ is reminiscent of a Bear’s Den cascading melody, one that builds and grows with atmosphere to a spirit-lifting chorus. It’s gentle rapture and pulsing, driving melody steers us to appreciate the meaning of the song “I searched on to find out what stills holds me, but instead I found you / Wandering through and how my heart would beat as you came running towards me with no need for belief”.
‘I’d Never Say’ with it’s banjo inflections and richer melody is a nice change of pace and leads us into a heavier introspective place, where ‘The Gates’ lives. The darkest track on the EP, a solemn sense of disarray plagues this track, yet it’s still one that thrives with passion and vocal intensity.
‘Let Go’ explores Kramer’s songwriting abilities and true to his building confidence with his songcraft, I believe what we’ll hear from Kramer in the future could be quite special. As a glimpse of what he’s capable of, ‘Let Go’ is a satisfactory introduction. His stark approach to songwriting is affecting. For a songwriter to disclose his inner-most thoughts and feelings and to go to the places that some might feel uncomfortable going is very refreshing and moving. It’s a trait that is sure to get him far in this industry.
