Ben LaMar Gay Yowzers
Ben LaMar Gay's Yowzers arrives as a vivid, room-sized statement that blends folklore, gospel and improvisation into songs that feel both lived-in and urgently contemporary. Critics point to an album that rewards attentive listening, and the consensus suggests Yowzers is a rich, often moving work rather than a collection of quick hits.
Across three professional reviews that yield an 82.67/100 consensus score, reviewers consistently single out “I am (bells)”, “yowzers” and “John, John Henry” as standout tracks. Pitchfork frames “I am (bells)” as the record's dizzying centerpiece, where New Orleans jazz, Alabama work songs and Chicago hip-hop converge. Tinnitist praises the polyrhythmic quartet interplay that makes “the glorification of small victories” and “John, John Henry” unforgettable, while The Quietus emphasizes the title track's climate-minded blues and the live immediacy of “the glorification of small victories” and “cumulus”.
Reviewers agree on recurring themes: tradition reimagined, communal performance, environmental concern and a porous mix of gospel, blues and Pan-Americana textures. Some critics highlight the album's time-bending storytelling and ephemerality, noting moments of intimate elegy like “for Breezy” alongside communal, improvisatory passages. While the tone across professional reviews is admiring, commentary acknowledges that the record's rewards accrue through focus rather than instant consumption.
For readers asking whether Yowzers is worth listening to, the critic consensus—rooted in three thoughtful reviews and an 82.67 score—positions it as a standout, nuanced addition to Ben LaMar Gay's catalog that showcases his gift for melding tradition and experimentation.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
I am (bells)
3 mentions
"‘I am (bells)’ shifts patiently from Gay’s unaccompanied, soulful croon"— The Quietus
the glorification of small victories
2 mentions
"‘the glorification of small victories’ features Gay’s quartet ... engaged in an energetic live performance"— The Quietus
yowzers
3 mentions
"On the title track, we hear Gay invoke a blues to climate change"— The Quietus
‘I am (bells)’ shifts patiently from Gay’s unaccompanied, soulful croon
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
yowzers
the glorification of small victories
there, inside the morning glory
roller skates
for Breezy
I am (bells)
promontory
John, John Henry
damn you cute
cumulus
touch
leave some for you
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
In a voice that feels like a confidant finally let in, Ben LaMar Gay's Yowzers makes its case for best songs in plainspoken, soulful terms. The reviewer singles out “I am (bells)” as the record's centerpiece, a dizzying conflation of New Orleans jazz, Alabama work songs and Chicago hip-hop that proves, convincingly, who Gay is. He also highlights “John, John Henry” and the opener “yowzers” for their time-bending gospel storytelling and prophetic power, reasons enough to search for the best tracks on Yowzers by listening to those moments first. The tone is intimate and admiring throughout, framing these songs as the album's emotional and stylistic cores.
Key Points
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The best song, "I am (bells)", is best for its inventive fusion of New Orleans jazz, work songs and hip-hop into a convincing centerpiece.
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The album's core strengths are intimate, plainspoken lyrics and a Pan-Americana approach that blends gospel, blues and folk into new global folk music.
Themes
Critic's Take
Ben LaMar Gay has delivered on Yowzers with an album that constantly rewards focused listening, and the best tracks here - notably “I Am (Bells)” and “The Glorification Of Small Victories” - act as the record's triumphant centers. The reviewer's tone stays admiring and analytical, celebrating Gay's polyrhythmic constructions and communal quartet language while pointing to the arresting swirl of melody and rhythm that makes songs like “John, John Henry” so memorable. The record's opener “yowzers” and closer “leave some for you” are singled out as bookends that frame the album's emotional breadth, giving listeners clear answers to queries about the best songs on Yowzers. Overall the writing praises the album's blend of old stories and fresh improvisation, making it obvious which tracks stand tallest without diminishing the album's cohesive flow.
Key Points
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The best song is the psychedelic centerpiece “I Am (Bells)” because it crystallizes the album's polyrhythmic, communal climax.
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The album's core strengths are inventive folklore-rooted storytelling, live quartet interplay, and deft pacing that balances improvisation with melodic clarity.
Themes
Critic's Take
Ben LaMar Gay’s Yowzers cements his gift for making music that wants to escape the record and live in rooms, and the best songs on Yowzers prove that. The title track “yowzers” is devastating and direct, fusing a blues for climate change with a terrifying, gorgeous choir. Live pieces like “the glorification of small victories” and “cumulus” capture his quartet’s irreverent improvising energy, while studio moments such as “for Breezy” and “John, John Henry” show his knack for elegy and recontextualised folk. The result is an album whose best tracks are both intimate and communal, revelatory in their malleability and emotional reach.
Key Points
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The title track is best for its urgent blues framing of climate change and a terrifying, gorgeous choir.
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The album’s core strengths are its communal live energy and its porous blending of jazz, folk, Tropicália and electronic textures.