My latest musical find came courtesy of Vogue magazine, and ever since I read their blurb about this British singer, I’ve been listening to him on YouTube non-stop.
Featured on page 182 in the “People Are Talking About” section, Ben Hudson, a.k.a. Mr Hudson, is gearing up to release his second album, Straight No Chaser. In Mark Holgate’s blurb, “The Talented Mr Hudson,” Holgate writes:
The album has all the right musical flourishes-synths, sampling, compressed drum beats-but it’s more than a checklist of cool musical tricks, thanks to Hudson’s distinctive Brit-pop voice and his street poet-lyrics; he wants his songs to tell gritty, urban stories in the vein of Paul Weller and Ray Davies.
Of course, after reading such an intriguing piece, I had to listen to Mr Hudson’s music for myself. From “Time” to “There Will Be Tears,” I loved every song I listened to, including “Forever Young” from Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3. Mr Hudson is totally unique; with creative lyrics, enticing beats and a fantastic pop voice.
Mr Hudson and his band, The Library, released their first LP in 2007. Titled A Tale of Two Cities, it received great reviews from the press. The band even toured with Kanye West during his European portion of the Glow in the Dark Tour.
Mr Hudson must have made quite an impression on the hip-hop star, as he scored himself a record deal with Kanye’s label, G.O.O.D. Music. Dropping “The Library,” Mr Hudson wrote the songs for his sophomore album in just two months. Titling the soon-to-be-released album “Straight No Chaser,” Mr Hudson’s piece is a fun melody of a miserable break-up.
I cannot wait to get my hands of Mr Hudson’s CD, which was reportedly set to be released in October (although HMV gives no indication of this). Alas, I will have to wait until the store shelves fill with this incredible piece by Mr Hudson, whose voice Rolling Stone describes as “David Bowie-meets-Sting.” But for now, I have YouTube, where I can listen to his own songs, and Jay-Z and Kanye West songs featuring Mr Hudson. My personal fav Mr Hudson song? The hauntingly catchy “White Lies.” Listen below: