Ben Walker daring to Be Different
By Alan Shipston for Country Music News International Magazine
Ben Walker is releasing, Be Different, the third single from the Tracking Dog sessions, with its bold lyrical statement. Based on a chat he had with Allan Caswell, Walker pursued the tricky subject of ADHD and Autism which led to a stirring conversation with his two sons about plotting your own path and having courage in your convictions. This traditional ballad employs a proven chord progression influenced by the scope of Walker’s vocal. “I’m not sayin’ I got all the answers, I never told you that I know it all, but I believe in love and second chances, and that you can’t get ahead by thinking small,” introduces the listener to Ben’s dialogue with his sons.
Be Different begins with a sparse arrangement, a lone kick drum with a heart beat pattern, sets the measure for a B3 like organ to swell in the background as Walker fills the space with his vocal. “Being older doesn’t make me wiser, but I guess I shoulda learned from my mistakes, you can be a lover or a fighter, you just gotta bend before you break.” By now, the drums are in with a solid snare, while arpeggiated electric guitar splashes color into the mix with Walker singing, “You can chase the gold inside the mystery, and you can the ride the dream until it’s done.” Overall, there is a somber, reflective feel to this tune as it straddles the lines between folk, soft rock and country. Producer Rod Motbey leaves his mark on the song with Lee Turner playing an organ part with a Procol Harum approach and Glenn Cunningham adds back ground vocals.
British born, but now calling Sydney’s North Beaches his home, Walker has been releasing music since 2020, earning him festival appearances and wide spread radio play. A song he co-wrote with Allan Caswell, Beth Lucas and Stephen Dobson, I Won’t Forget, was a semifinalist in the International Songwriting Competition and soared to number one on the Australian Country Radio Chart.
Exploring themes that are difficult to write seems to be a direction that Walker has turned to, defining relationships that are close to him as he writes songs of the heart and soul. Be Different is another of his compositions that fall into the poignant storytelling he is known for.