We had the honor of premiering Ben Noble’s latest video in anticipation of the release of his newest album Bitter Work and upcoming show (June 2) at the Icehouse. And we appreciate his thoughtful answers to our five questions.
Bitter Work feels like a personal look at a larger world – like a reckoning. How do you see it? Did the music come through reflection or reflection come through the music?
Bitter Work deals largely with taking a hard look at the places in our lives that we try to leave hidden. The pandemic brought us as a society and each of us individually to a place of reckoning. I feel like we have all learned that society cannot stay the same. There is steep division and polarity, everyone wants the other side to know that they are wrong, and social media has largely driven us all into a constant state of comparison and agitation. I just hit my 2-year anniversary of starting therapy and wow, if we were all able to take time to process why we feel the way we do, what events from our past have formed who we are, etc, I think we would all be healthier. I have come to learn that 1) it is okay to admit that you were wrong, and 2) multiple things can be true at the same time. Therapy, looking into my past, and seeing where I might be wrong have been my bitter work over the last few years.
Your video for misterchristianwhiteman is amazing. Tell us about it.
I made that video (and the song as well) in an effort to poke fun at a lot of the cringy stereotypes and personal experiences that I have had with white men who see themselves as the hero. I am also a white man and one incredibly obnoxious reality is that many white men can’t take a joke. Historically in the United States, christian white men have always had a privileged place in society. Are all of the characters based on real people? Absolutely – I wish they were made up.
I rented a photo studio in Minneapolis one day with a mostly-formed vision, some dorky dance moves, and a handful of costumes. I didn’t totally know what I’d end up with but I am happy with the result.
On a good day, Regrow seems cautiously optimistic, on a darker day the line “don’t leave me alone” might taint that optimism. How do you see it?
There is a lot of pain that comes from growth. In order to make room for something new we often have to get rid of some of what we have been hanging onto. I am inspired by the way that every year, no matter how bleak the winter is all the plants and leaves and grass pops back out and eventually overwhelms us with the undergrowth, our bodies are able to heal wounds, etc. Growing and healing take time and often we look different on the other side.
Your music has become progressively more techno. It’s a great complement to your unique voice. Do you think you’ll continue to explore more and more tech tools?
I am confident that my sound will continue to change with each subsequent release. I have always had a difficult time categorizing my music and giving a “quick pitch” to people in passing. Often an entire song or series of songs will stem from a studio accident that somehow feels intentional – any idea is always worth pursuing. I was worried that my first record Whisky Priest (2017) would box me in to being an acoustic singer-songwriter, ever since then I have experimented and taken risks and I am ecstatic about where I have ended up as a result. At the end of the day, whatever I make fits under the “Ben Noble” umbrella and I am excited to see where it all goes with each new record I make.
Please let us about your upcoming album release.
I am celebrating this release with a show at Icehouse in Minneapolis on June 2nd, 2023. Kara Laudon will be opening – I will have my full band and have a video screen with visuals and music videos for the whole set. I printed vinyl records for the first time (a major “music is real” moment) and will be selling them. It is sure to be a wonderful night.
Mostly Minnesota 