Search - Ben Jelen :: Give It All Away

Give it All Away by Ben Jelen

Anthony Humphrey | Manhattan | 06/06/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"For some reason this album received a lot of negative attention, but I intended to make the purchase anyway, and I'm glad I did. The record turned out to be everything I expected it to be. Jelen is infact a polished pianist & song-writer, and while there is nothing as instantly loveable as "Come On", its still a very good record by my standards. I have an undeniable weakness for ballads, and this album packs plenty of them, and good ones too, like "Criminal", "She'll Hear You" & "Falling Down". On the other hand, the up-beat tracks are pleasant also, such as "Every Step" & "Rocks". The album stumbles occasionally along the way, but given a chance to improve and live up to his potential, I can feel a respected hit-maker in the making."

Captivating Voice...Inspirational Thinker

Marisa Giammarino | Brooklyn, New York United States | 04/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first learned of Ben Jelen through AOL's advertisement of his sessions performance. After listening to his single "Come On" for a few minutes, I realized that he was an absolutely brilliant and talented artist who has a bright future. I immediately purchased tickets to see him perform in person (coincidentally, the same day as I found out about him on AOL) and I can assure you that his talent extends beyond the somewhat polished nature of the album. In person, Ben's emotions overflow through his music and he reflects a great love for what he is doing. This album is absolutely wonderful- I have great difficulty in saying which songs are my favorite since the songs are all equally amazing. My only complaint, as I mentioned before, is that I would have preferred to hear his music a little less polished. His raw voice adds so much to his music. I definitely suggest that you give this album a shot and consider seeing him perform in person (try visiting www.benjelen.com for updates). Talent such as his is so rare- he is a true inspiration."

Ben has talent

Anthony D. Perillo | Cantonment, FL United States | 04/14/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ben Jelen writes pleasing pop songs, plays his instrument well, and has a gentle, intimate voice. This album shows promise from a young new artist. The problem comes in the producing of the album. It seems like the producers "polished" the tracks too much, almost as though they were trying to make Ben a radio pop star instantly. If the producers had let Ben's voice, piano, and natural singing ability control the album, it would have been more intimate and probably an even bigger hit. The best is yet to come from Mr. Jelen."