Song of the Day: Ben Shive

By

Rabbit Roomers, I give you two reasons to be excited about the song you’re about to hear. 1) It’s about a superhero. 2) It’s by Ben Shive (also a superhero–of music).

For the last several months I’ve been listening as Ben put this record together in the next room and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it. It’s going to explode your brain and leave you drooling on the floor (but in a good way). If you’re one of Ben’s Kickstarter supporters, you should be getting an email in the next week or so with download instructions. Everyone else should keep a eye right here on the Rabbit Room where you’ll be able to pre-order soon.

Here’s your first peek at the goodness to come: Ben Shive’s “She’s Invincible” from The Cymbal Crashing Clouds.

 

Pete Peterson is the author of the Revolutionary War adventure The Fiddler’s Gun and its sequel Fiddler’s Green. Among the many strange things he’s been in life are the following: U.S Marine air traffic controller, television editor, art teacher and boatwright at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, and progenitor of the mysterious Budge-Nuzzard. He lives in Nashville with his wife, Jennifer, where he's the Executive Director of the Rabbit Room and Managing Editor of Rabbit Room Press.


37 Comments

  1. Richard Okimoto

    I cannot wait! I’m sorry I didn’t ever get in on the kickstarter (I must have been under a rock or something).

    This song sounds fantastic

  2. Jackie Wilson

    Great, great stuff. I LOVE that gnarly 80’s guitar hook. As a matter of fact, it’s got sort of an ELO/the Cure vibe to it.

  3. Jen

    Whoa. Awesomeness. I will be obsessively checking my e-mail over the next week.

    Jackie, yes! I can hear ELO/The Cure in there. 🙂

  4. JWitmer

    Whaaa? I feel like I just got off a brand-new roller coaster.

    I’m dizzy, unsure what I think about any particular part of the ride, but grinning from ear to ear and absolutely have to do that again. Right now.

    *goes to get back in line*

  5. John Barber

    Ahh…. I can’t wait for that email! Ever since I heard a couple of the new cuts at the Christmas show, I’ve been dying to hear the whole thing!

  6. Jim Rohde

    Well, knock me down with a (wing?)feather – I’ll have to plead ignorance and (as Richard said) where was I when this was all starting for Ben?

    Love it, Ben! (As is all your work that I’ve heard) Excellent!

  7. The One True Stickman

    Awesome! Especially after the last couple Songs Of The Day featuring Ben and hyping the great new record in progress but with NO NEW MUSIC. (Ahem.)

    This nails all the pop/rock/electronic vibe that I’ve been digging lately, a-la Death Cab For Cutie & Postal Service. I also hear some Jars Of Clay in there, but I think it’s mostly the vocals on the first verse that sound like Dan Haseltine.

  8. Laura Peterson

    Whoa. “Tearing in my soul with oblivious claws”? Brilliant! This is already going on my “great songs to dance around the house to when no one is looking” playlist.

    As a matter of common interest….Ben Shive happens to be the guest of honor on this week’s episode of Under the Radar, which I enjoyed listening to today at work. RadarRadio dot net. More great stuff and new songs. Thanks, Ben!

  9. PaulH

    I was afraid to liken the sound to something or someone else. I want the artist to be themselves and respected that way after all their hard work. HOWEVER, I can hear ELO, The Cure & Brian Wilson (Ben is a Beach Boys fan and this could be heard all through out his music) but I initially thought I heard maybe some Peter Gabriel influence?
    But, definitely some Ben Shive thrown in there though. I love it already.
    (listening to ITK just to pacify myself.)

  10. Ugly Biscuit

    Peter Gabriel, yum! Especially, ‘SO’.

    I don’t see how people can LOVE, (Now, i understand, LIKE) the beach boys. Sure Brian Wilson was overly talented, that is for sure. But how does somone from Oil City PA or
    Wichita KS relate to thirty songs about sand, surf boards and salty suds?

    Talk about your limited demographic..

    God only knows
    Good Vibrations
    In My Room…..YES.

    Everything else……I could do without.

  11. Duane

    That was cool! More Ben Shive than ELO or The Cure!…but if I had to compare, the 80’s vibe is sweet and takes me back to Howard Jones with some Peter Gabriel. Course, the songwriting is what makes it Shively.

  12. Caitlin

    luuuv this song. i hadn’t thought of any of those comparisons; am i the only one who hears bruce springstein and arcade fire??

  13. Chris Slaten

    Haha! Yes! I was so sad when this wasn’t on the first record. I can’t believe what you did with it though! While we’re doing the potential influences game here, I’m going to guess that the Cars and Vampire Weekend were cooking somewhere in the mix as well.

  14. Ugly Biscuit

    Just stumbled into your music Mr. Chris Slaten. I was getting a Paul Simon/Ben Taylor vibe out of it all. Really good.

    Too funny that all of your reviews on iTunes are from 7th grade girls that you taught. One said, “He’s basically awesome.”

    Kids say the darndest things…

  15. Kevin

    Upon first listen I thought, “what’s the big deal?” Then I read the comment about getting back in line and thought I should give it another try, this time actually listening (not checking email). Then I got it (the lying on the floor and drooling part).

    A lesson in how to listen, I suppose…

  16. JJ

    Kickstarter has been amazing. It’s great to be a part of so many great projects. I was starting to wonder when the album would be coming out so it’s great to hear that we’ll be getting the downloads soon. August and September are turning out to be great months for new music.

    Ben Shive
    Mat Kearney
    Switchfoot
    The Devil Wears Prada
    Oh, Sleeper

    Half of those aren’t likely favorites around these parts. 🙂

  17. Jackie Wilson

    For the record, I never said the song sounded like ELO or The Cure. The string arrangements and that driving rhythm guitar simply put me in the mind of some of those late 70’s – early 80’s songs. I don’t know if Ben was influenced by Jeff Lynne or not.

  18. Jaclyn

    YESS! I love this song and I love that Ben laid his extra-spiffy shine on it and slipped it in this album. Wherever you are, Ben, big high five!

  19. Jess

    This is great. I can’t stop listening to it. Makes me want to dance like crazy. Can’t wait for the album.

    JJ: Woot! So excited for Mat Kearney! 🙂

  20. Rob Dunbar

    I’m thinking Terry Taylor here. And I mean that as a compliment, from a big DA fan. Not that DA ever did the strings, that I can remember….

  21. Ben Shive

    I don’t know if I’m supposed to post here or not. Don’t want to kill the vibe. Just wanted to say thanks everybody for the kind words.

    (And Rob, I’m a big DA fan too.)

  22. JJ

    Jess: My wife and I had a sort of listening party last night (just us). I listened to it a lot yesterday and really love it. I prefer the hip hop vibe stuff of Mat’s older albums (his last album was good but too radio friendly for me). Young Love sounds like it could have come after Bullet.

    I forgot to mention in my first post, great song Ben! The Ill-tempered Klavier was one of my favorite albums that year (2008 I think?). Can’t wait to hear the new album.

  23. Jackie Wilson

    I love me some Terry Taylor as well. I keep hoping that the Lost Dogs are going to swing through the southeast.

  24. JJ

    Got my Kickstarter email today with the download link. Amazing stuff Ben! Totally worth the wait.

  25. Jen

    I kind of screamed when I saw Ben’s “Kickstarters, check your email” tweet. And loving it. So proud to be a supporter.

    JJ (and Jess): I love Mat! =) Still have yet to actually get Young Love though. I do like his last one, but I agree that the hip-hop vibe is what first drew me to his music. Glad to hear good things about this new one.

    Oh, and Switchfoot too. One of my all-time favorite bands. You are not alone in the excitement… and yes, August/September usually does seem to be a good time for new music. I feel like there’s something great coming out every week in September.

  26. Peter B

    Funny — this one was coming through the headphones when I hit the Rabbit Room to find a tCCC thread on which to jump.

    Yes. I got the Peter Gabriel-ness.

    Also, this whole record blows my mind. On the way home yesterday, I plugged my iPhone in to pick up where I left off, and thought “no, I want to hear Listen again… no, wait — I want to listen to all of them at the same time!”

    Ben — if you’re listening — could you tweak the first song so it’s easier to hear what you’re saying? Given the nature of the vocals and the instrumentation, that’s probably no easy feat, but it’s the only way I could think to improve anything in there so far.

If you have a Rabbit Room account, log in here to comment.