Ben Sures – ‘Boring People’
Photo by Jonas Eriksson.Our week of premieres continues on Roots Music Canada with new music from a veteran artist I personally adore, because he’s quirky as all get out, and he’s put into words some life experiences I’ve seldom if ever heard captured elsewhere in song – like, for example, that uncomfortable feeling you get when you turn up on the shores of a third world country in a cruise ship.
Ben Sures’ unique career has comprised everything from moonlighting as a blues sideman to writing and performing songs on the CBC sketch comedy show the Irrelevant Show. But his calling card has always been his songwriting – sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, but always distinctly Ben.
Last year, he released Poema Poematis, a best-of collection of sorts recorded live at the Yardbird suite in Edmonton with an all-star cast of horn and string players.
His new album, Live at the Yardbird Suite, due Mar. 14, is a companion piece to Poema containing the first set of that concert, a set featuring the strings: bassist Joe Phillips, who has performed with Jayme Stone, Art of Time, and Pierre Schreyer; and Sarah Frank and Luke Fraser of the Bombadils on violin and mandolin respectively. The set also features Stephanie Suchy on vocals and percussion, which included tambourines borrowed from her kids.
“Boring People,” one of the new songs featured during this set, and the number we’re thrilled to showcase today, is classic, funny, idiosyncratic Ben.
