Who Knows Jenny Jones

by Mr. Ben & the Bens, Ban Hall

Overview

Prior to leading the band of his namesake, British singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Ben Hall spent a number of years self-releasing an array of whimsical lo-fi indie pop cassettes, EPs, singles, and albums which were credited simply to Mr. Ben. Over the years, the Lancaster native's pleasantly ramshackle output gained more structure and detail, and by 2017, a touring band, the Bens, surrounded him and began to occasionally appear on releases. Although he plays every instrument on 2019's Who Knows Jenny Jones?, the spirit of the Bens persists amid Hall's jangling conceptual yarn. Based around a loose narrative concerning a '70s Sheffield wallflower named Jenny Jones, the LP sees it heroine endure an alien abduction and subsequently emerge as one of the city's leading disco dancing queens. It's a quirky conceit, for sure, though Jenny Jones' transformation -- she is abducted while cutting through a cemetery -- plays with a moodier, more melancholic edge than might be expected. Both in structure and overall tone there are echoes of early Belle & Sebastian, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, and Of Montreal which reverberate throughout the album's ten cuts. Hall's quavering tenor and inherent melodicism are rather appealing and he also flashes quite a bit of craft as an arranger, stitching together a strange quilt of punchy guitar-based indie pop with patches of post-punk, folk, psychedelia, and synth pop. Among its highlights are "The Edge of a Cloud," "The Gravedigger's Dance," and "Celecongratulations," three tracks that revel in Hall's vivid imagination while also making for some pretty catchy pop songs. ~ Timothy Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	01/31/2020
Label:	Bingo / Bingo Records
UPC:	5055869546720
Rank:	165326

Tracks

1. Who Knows Jenny Jones
2. The Edge of a Cloud
3. He is the One
4. The Gravedigger's Dance
5. Eight PM
6. Transmissions
7. Celecongratulations
8. Equestria
9. Sleeping
10. It All Collapses in the End

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mr. Ben & the Bens   Primary Artist
Ban Hall   Primary Artist
Ben Hall   Zink
Lloyd Bent   Zink

Technical Credits

Kane Whitelam   Mixing,Mastering
Ben Hall   Composer
Ben Johnson   Photography
Ban Hall   Producer,Artwork