Here's the latest review of RICH WITH LOVE. It's from EvolutionOfMedia.com; they reviewed my first disc, so I thought I'd send the new one to them too!


Rich With Love
Ben Willmott
Pop

Four out of Five Stars

There was a time, in the wild and wacky world of pop and roll, in which musical variety in recording artists was not considered a negative. You know, it was a time when people like Elton John, Billy Joel, James Taylor, hell even Eric Clapton, would pepper their pure pop (or rock) with other genres of music like country, jazz, or (heaven forbid) reggae. Well, singer-songwriter Ben Willmott remembers, and proves it on his second release Rich With Love.

Like 2006's Nowhere To Go But Up, Rich With Love is chock full of pop/rock goodness that harks back to the good-old-days when music had some substance. Now, this album is no mere nostalgia trip for old fogies like me who refuse to acknowledge current music: Willmott may have succeeded in creating songs that carry strong reminders of Joel ("Rich With Love", "Under the Radar"), Joe Jackson ("Here & Now"), Gordon Lightfoot ("It's Only Me") and Taylor ("Up at the Top" among others), but he's got a modern sensibility that puts him firmly in the 21st century. As for the versatility: Willmott rocks out prog rock style on "Under the Radar", while giving "Alabama" the kind of film-score/Tin Pan Alley-pop approach that Randy Newman excels at. 

In essence, Rich With Love takes more chances and expands upon the foundation laid by Nowhere To Go But Up, while simultaneously exposing Ben Willmott as singer-songwriter who deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the Jackson Brownes, Elvis Costellos and Rufus Wainwrights of the world. Get this album now!

Written By: Gina Morris