WhatzUp

You Can't Go Back
Ken Bantz
by Jason Hoffman

I’m not sure how long Ken Bantz has been playing guitar or writing songs, but it’s obvious from his lyrics that he’s always been a keen observer of life. When he decided to make a permanent record of these observations, he turned to Monastic Chambers and enlisted some of the areas finest: Todd Harrold on drums, Tim Beeler on bass, and Marty Price on dobro (not to mention Jon Gillespie on organ and various expert studio touches). The result is You Can’t Go Back, a 10-song slice of Hoosier Americana.

The title track is a nicely written country-tinged rocker with reedy organ and flourishes of power chords telling the story of a young man who leaves home to find himself, eventually settling down to start a family and finding that to be his true calling. The encouraging chorus melody and earnest feel leads one to wonder how much of this outstanding leading track is autobiographical. “Blind Jack Johnson” is the first of many story songs, this one an up-tempo Delta blues song about the wisdom of the title sage. The instantly identifiable sound of the dobro harkens images of the dusty South, a very nice touch to the tale of Blind Jack Johnson. Another story song is “Ballad of John Henry.” Packed with dobro and a railroad-like guitar rhythm, the instrumentation slowly unfolds alongside the story of a wrongly accused common man. Although the song never breaks out into the massive vamp it seemed destined for, it does end with a minute-long, very heated and impressive electric guitar solo from Bantz. Cellist Bob Savage joins Bantz on “Till That Whistle Blows.” This trapped song tells of working hard to support your family with lines like “Seen a lot of jobs go down to Mexico / Seen a lot of good people get laid off / Took a big cut in pay / And now we live day to day / Now I’m so tired thinking ‘bout a second job.” The simple instrumentation and world-weary vocals make the song a strong standout.

Bantz also packs a number of acoustic love songs onto this debut album. “Crowded Room” tells of love at first glance with a 70s light rock feel, background vocals from Amy Moser and some very Clapton-esque guitar throughout. Bantz beautifully coaxes his 12-string through the serene desire for a night of escape with a loved one known as “Idaho Night,” and in “One Beating Heart” brushed drums and a finger-picked acoustic create an intimate, hushed song of affection.

A number of elements combine to make You Can’t Go Back a wonderful listening experience. It’s obvious that Bantz took his time with this roots-rock album, devoting attention to everything from the clean production to the professional artwork. Bantz has a strong vocal presence, calming like James Taylor yet firm in delivery, and his guitar playing is consistently excellent, whether he’s playing acoustic, electric, or 12-string. The songs are well composed, as are the melodies and the lyrics, making one want to Go Back to these familiar-feeling stories again and again.