– Americana Highways“Bennett, like Rhett Miller, has a clever way of putting words together that makes you take notice.”
A gifted storyteller with an eye for detail and an ear for effortless melodies, William Crosley Bennett straddles the line between country and rock-and-roll, offering a lived-in, Midwestern take on the universal themes of love, longing, and regret.
Coming nearly five years after his last release with Will Bennett & the Tells, the Chicago singer-songwriter’s debut single “Golden, Colorado” serves as both an origin story and a compelling reintroduction—a rollicking, alt-country retelling of his parents’ real-life Rocky Mountain romance. The song crackles with the energy of Daniel Martinson and Lucie Engleman’s insistent rhythm section, which provides the backbone for Harry Griffin’s muscular fretwork, Philippe Bronchtine’s honky tonk piano, and Kate In’s harmonies.
Five years is admittedly a large gap between releases. Bennett took the time away as an opportunity to sharpen his songwriting, developing a new approach to the unheralded and unsexy work of editing and polishing. This refined approach is apparent on b-side “Ten Speed,” a poignant meditation on the people—and objects—we love.
The industry Bennett returns to is largely changed. Being a musician in this day and age is, in many respects, akin to being a traveling salesman. With new acts coming onto the scene every day, competing for clicks and an ever-shrinking pot of money, the only logical path is to devote oneself fully to the craft. There is always a time and place for a good story well told and a melody that lingers in your subconscious. “Golden, Colorado” scratches that itch.