Music Review: Jordan Bennett – ‘Outcasts and Untouchables’

Christian singer-songwriter Jordan Bennett is attempting, through his music, to bring together his love for music and his love for God. The acoustic-driven debut album Outcasts and Untouchables of the Lafayette, Indiana-based Bennett reflects the transformation he went through in creating coherence between his two big loves.

There seems to be three styles of songs on Outcasts and Untouchables. The first category would be the gentler yet energetic tracks. The mid-tempo “Stars at Night” for example, is driven by an acoustic guitar and a clapping noise, which gives it a certain energy that is mellowed out but the delicate vocals. It has the overall effect of being somewhat restrained in a pensive way, therefore giving the impression of reflecting deep joy rather than the more superficial happiness. Similarly, “Nothing With You” has a certain depth to it, built through the contrast of the snapping noise and the delicate vocals and gentle percussion, that gives it a restrained yet overall more mature and well-established happy sound.

There are also gentle and emotionally less energetic tracks. The ballad “A Letter To A Friend” for example, driven as so many other tracks on this album are by an acoustic guitar, is quite melancholic, what with the vocals that seem to come from far away, the slower and heavier melody, and the way the electronic elements have been added.

And finally, there are the more radio-friendly songs, the ones that will appeal most to a mass audience. The ballad “You” features percussive elements that add to its overall poignancy, itself delivered mostly through the vocals which start as gentle but become increasingly powerful, with Bennett belting out a larger range than he has in the numbers that precede this one. “You” swells gently throughout its run to a satisfying ending, making it the most radio-friendly song on the album—suited for an adult contemporary station. Similarly, the title track has the same kind of progression throughout as well as vocals that touch a larger range than in other numbers. Driven by two acoustic guitars, “Outcasts and Untouchables” is one of the most up-tempo tracks in the album. But while this pop-flavoured song is energetic, it is not as joyful as the other energetic songs are.

Jordan Bennett’s Outcasts and Untouchables is worth giving a chance for those who love music in the style Ed Sheeran is most known for. Tracks are available for streaming on ReverbNation.