On his new work Everybody's Welcome, Ben Barritt now sets out a wide range of musical, atmospheric and sound aesthetic tensions. He is inspired by British folk and folk rock icons such as Nick Drake and John Martyn, Stevie Wonder's advanced gospel funk, the clever ideas of pop thinkers Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell's groundbreaking collaborations with sensitive jazz stars.Barritts compositions lure with catchy, unobtrusive beautiful melodies and unexpected harmony changes. Sophisticated and dynamic arrangements reward multiple listening with ever new discoveries. They combine the warm, intimate sound of the acoustic guitar, subtle vignettes of the electric guitar, piano, Rhodes piano and analog Moog synthesizers, funky riffs and offensively grooving bass lines. Bright brass parts, small solos of trumpet or saxophone and a contemporary production with brilliant sound round off Everybody's Welcome. The colourfulness of the up to seven musicians, the substance of the songs as well as Barritt's thoughtful lyrics are "sophisticated" in the best sense of the word, far away from the sometimes cynical attitude of the current Streamade pop.
