Ben Kweller, Jones St. Station

When Ben Kweller came charging onto the scene with his 2002 debut, Sha Sha, a light, listenable pop album rife with mainstream potential, no one predicted that the Texas-bred indie-pop kid would eventually come around to his country roots. So it'd be easy to write off the twangy lilt of...

By Sara Brickner

June 26, 2009

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When Ben Kweller came charging onto the scene with his 2002 debut, Sha Sha, a light, listenable pop album rife with mainstream potential, no one predicted that the Texas-bred indie-pop kid would eventually come around to his country roots.

So it'd be easy to write off the twangy lilt of Kweller's fourth and latest record, Changing Horses, as the result of another indie-rock Johnny-come-lately taking an abrupt interest in Americana and fancying himself another Gram Parsons. Conor Oberst did it. Why not Ben Kweller? But listen to Changing Horses with an unbiased ear, and you'll be hard-pressed not to bounce along to this endearing interpretation of country conventions.

Jones St. Station opens.

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