Ben Harper released a new groovy track fittingly titled “Need To Know Basis,” from his brand new album Bloodline Maintenance, which has a music video featuring exclusive footage from the Lucca Summer Music Festival he played earlier this month in Italy.
The single features the sound of a clavinet, an electrically amplified clavichord played in this song by Keyboardist Larry Goldings. Harper says: “It was made famous by the intro to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” which was probably the first song my dad ever played for me. I brought Larry in and we had an absolute blast. “Need To Know Basis” is about how hard it is for some people to say I love you, and how people can be waiting to hear that from them. The bass is accompanied by a low-end shadow guitar playing along, which was something I learned from Al Anderson from The Wailers.”
Bloodline Maintenance was released Friday, July 22nd, and features 11 tracks:
Below Sea Level
We Need to Talk About it
Where Did We Go Wrong
Problem Child
Need to Know Basis
It Ain’t No Use
More Than Love
Smile at the Mention
Honey, Honey
Knew the Day Was Comin’
Maybe I Can’t
The whole album takes influence from the sound of hip-hop, jazz, blues and soul; it also features the sounds of Harper’s signature fretless lap steel that he masterfully plays. “Need to Know Basis” and the greater, Bloodline Maintenance are a must-listen to any Harper enthusiast.
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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