Low Key finds Brendan Benson in a semi-serious mood of self-reflection. It’s not a concept album per se, but it feels like one, with its interwoven themes of lost love, isolation and regret. With the exception of the horn arrangement and horns on “Whole Lotta Nothin,” Benson arranged and performed nearly all the parts on the album, and also wrote all but two of the songs. His cover of South African rapper Nasty C’s “All In” may best illustrate why Benson is Nashville’s reigning king of power pop. He masterfully turns the rap anthem into a power-pop tour de force that underscores the album’s underlying message of hopeful perseverance.
Best Power-Pop Album
