Ben Drysdale – If I Don’t Lie Down (2023)
Ben Drysdale – a new name to me but already a star across the globe. From his 2021 duet ‘Either Way’ with Justina Shandler (which was featured on the US show Good Trouble), to his songs on The Young and The Restless, honourable mention at the 2022 Unsigned Music Competition, nomination at the 2023 Hawaii Songwriting Festival and 2020 International Songwriting Competition, supported notable artists like Chris Isaak and Busby Marou, and fronting the bands Beth n Ben, Smitten and East Row Rabble; well, that’s a bit of a career made right there.
With his confident performances, powerful melodies and natural talent, Australian Drysdale garners a loyal following far beyond his Aussie borders. His fronting of “hand in the air and pound along with the group” bands is notable but we’re taking a gander at his solo project; a solo project only recently started. After releasing five EPs and a full-length album with the bands Smitten, Beth n Ben and East Row Rabble, Ben Drysdale hits our ears with his debut solo single ‘If I Don’t Lie Down’.
Almost two decades since he began his exemplary career, ‘If I Don’t Lie Down’ showcases Drysdale’s individual style. Upbeat, jovial, ‘If I Don’t Lie Down’ is a foot-stomping song that is easily heard in a sold-out festival, as well as ideal for road trips with friends on the Gold Coast. Filled with the old-school charm of retro folk, but with a rock twist, ‘If I Don’t Lie Down’ captures the core of Americana in its melody. Bold guitar matches pounding drums carrying you along in a swirl of heady music. The thing is, just as you become lost in the rush of sound, profoundness lurks through the kaleidoscopic haze.
Written at 2 am in Hawaii when he had to board a bus at 4:30 am to catch his flight home to Australia, I can only imagine how tired Drysdale was. Yet, as tired and weary as he might have been, creativity oozed forth. I find this interesting as the lyrics “if I don’t lie down” could mean he would fall fast asleep and miss everything if he did; however, a deeper concept is woven through.
Instead of a simple tale, ‘If I Don’t Lie Down’ became a metaphor for “his experience at the festival and inspiration to back himself and keep putting in the work to pursue his musical dreams”. A defiant exclamation wrapped in a body-swaying frenzy of folk music, Drysdale pushes the theme of empowerment, optimism and confidence in his moving single.
Find out more about Ben Drysdale on his official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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