Ben Basile – Benergy – Album Review

2nd May 2025 0 By James Pendle

‘Benergy’ is the recently released debut solo album from Bid D & The Kids Table’s low end king Ben Basile.

As a big fan of the band, as mentioned earlier, the opportunity to review Ben’s first solo effort was an exciting and intriguing prospect.

Instrumental releases are always a tricky one to place, given the natural lack of memorable vocal hooks, meaning the artist has to work that much harder to keep the listener engaged.

Ben’s impressive bass skills are on full display from the get-go, mixed in with a stellar lineup of musicians from the ska and jazz worlds.

The release takes a notably more traditional ‘2-tone’ ska turn than the more third-wave ska punk vibe of Big D, but it does so in a solid way, never feeling sloppy or forced.

The Hudson Valley-born musician skillfully alternates between different lead instruments on each track in an attempt to find the engaging ‘ear worm’, backed by unassuming but often head-bopping ska and reggae rhythm tracks.

Overall its a very solid and enjoyable release, albeit undeniably difficult to place without those memorable vocal hooks.
Score 8/10
Track List