After spending years mastering pop, Brendan Benson got weird on his 2020 album Dear Life. Appearing after a long stretch of years when his solo output was dormant, Dear Life included programmed drums, synthesizers, electronic production, and a smattering of other playful experiments that were all new territory for the songwriter. Low Key continues this trend in Benson's development to some extent, but it also finds him falling back on what he excels at: melodic, guitar-driven power pop. Opening track "Ain't No Good" starts things off in the middle ground between Benson's pop pedigree and more recent experimental leanings, combining crunchy guitar chords with deep 808 bass stabs and slow, steady electronic drums. The song's smart and slippery rhyme scheme and pristine vocal harmonies would feel at home on earlier Benson albums, but the synthesis of styles adds a new liveliness to the track. He also explores on the synth-heavy "Something a Little Like Home" and "All In," a tune whose singsong hooks, moody pace, chord progression, and flowing cadences feel directly inspired by a specific moment of chart-topping pop in the early 2010s. The majority of Low Key, however, finds Benson creating more of his signature style of straightforward melodic pop. "People Grow Apart" is a dynamic rocker with a huge chorus and layers of quick-changing guitar tones. The mid-tempoed "Whole Lotta Nothin'" brings in a horn section and soulful organ. In the middle of the album, there's a fairly faithful cover of Gerry Rafferty's 1978 hit "Right Down the Line." Benson's lyrics have often been clustered into themes of broken relationships, self-assessment, and the bitterness that follows when things fall apart. Low Key presents a somewhat mellower reading of these topics on some songs. Instead of the cutting indignation that surfaced on Benson's work in the early 2000s, the album gives the sense that whatever disappointments and letdowns he's facing now, he's them seen a million times over. The record is concise, with just eight songs and a run time around half an hour, but Low Key still paints a complete picture. It's a perfect balance of Benson's recent forays into new sounds and the continuation of his brand of sharp yet spirited songwriting. ~ Fred Thomas, Rovi

1		Ain't No Good
2		I Missed the Plane
3		People Grow Apart
4		Right Down the Line
5		Whole Lotta Nothin
6		Whatever's on My Mind
7		All In
8		Something a Little Like Home

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