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"Washington State" Review on Whisperin & Hollerin
It doesn't sound like it, but there is only one Ben Averch ( http://averch.blogspot.com ).
That is Ben Averch on vocals.
That is Ben Averch on guitar.
That is Ben Averch on bass.
That is Ben Averch on keyboards.
That is Ben Averch on drums.
For a solo project, "Washington State" has enough thump and widescreen soundscapes to fill a dozen bands. Hilariously, most rock groups these days seem thin compared to this. Averch kicks out the jams from the first cut, "Reset the Clock." Featuring the booming bass and drums that characterizes the rest of the LP, Averch aims for a big arena feel and nails it, slamming together U2 and Blue Oyster Cult to create a heavenly noise. Lyrically, Averch is a poet, finding spiritual renewal in the beauty of nature: "Open up to the shattering sky/As the red-tailed hawk begins to cry/It's a promise that I need to make/To find the center of the lake." Like Live, Averch has a wondering - and wandering - soul yet he's able to avoid any pretentiousness.
"In a Dream State" echoes the title of the record, recalling Seattle's Soundgarden in their mid-'90s form without the rainy Emerald City angst. "No Division" and "Levitate" are both reminiscent of Rush with their propulsive and magnetic guitar work. Averch is an amazing axeman; check out the scorching Stone Gossard-ish solo in "Sandcast."
At a time when real rock seems to be going extinct, Averch arrives to breathe new life into the genre, even if it's all by himself.
author: Adam Harrington
"Washington State" on Sonomu
By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.
Definitely among the year's most ambitious independent releases is this 10-track project from Ben Averch ( http://averch.blogspot.com ).
Drawing upon both the molten metal of early '90s grunge in Seattle and the futurist, high-I.Q. progressive rock of Rush and Yes, Averch raises the bar for today's modern rock bands. The only difference is that Averch doesn't have a group. Each note on "Washington State" was played by Averch himself. If you didn't know that, it's doubtful that you would've figured it out as Averch has exceptional skills.
Much has been written about Rush being a super-powered trio, but what can you say about a solo act such as Averch, who can minimize Pearl Jam's amp wallop on "Reset the Clock" without any additional player? Averch must be an octopus, each tentacle having mastered every instrument, from guitar to drums to Moog synthesizer to bass.
This is a truly impressive effort, produced with muscle and smarts.
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About Ben Averch:
Some folks may remember me as the guy playing acoustic hard rock in Harvard Square, Cambridge for 12-hours straight, day after day.
Since my time in Boston, I've moved to California and then to Washington and have produced a solo album, "Washington State".
My aesthetic is crunchy hard rock music with a lot of dynamics and richness. I'm looking for wide, expansive guitar sounds that are emotionally evocative and interesting. Lyrically, I'm trying to address some pretty broad topics about what it means to be human and live life.
My favorite bands/artists include Rush, Jawbox, Yes, Swervedriver, Sugar, Urge Overkill, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
I love Paul Reed Smith guitars, and TC Electronic effects. Most of "Washington State" is a mix of the PRS Singlecut with a PRS Swamp Ash Special. This gives me a broad crunchy sound, and the Swamp Ash is very lyrical for soloing. I also use my trusty PRS EG-3 for certain more angular kinds of arpeggios and crashing chord sounds, like in the intro to the solo section in the song 'Levitate'. Making the occasional appearance is the Les Paul for really heavy riffs and the first half of the solo on 'Through the Chain Reaction'.
I use a Marshall Head, Fender Twin and a Music Man HD 150 for the bass. All of these go through a Palmer Speaker Simulator ADIG-LB. The bass guitar is a Music Man Stingray.
For drums, it's Roland V-Drums.
The recording gear is SONAR on a Dell PC with a Layla sound card. For keyboards, I've got a Novation A-Station, a Roland MVS-1, and a Korg Wavestation controlled by a Roland D-50. These are used pretty sparsely but came in very handy on 'Reset the Clock' and add a splash of color in a few other songs.
Thanks for listening!
