Naustin's 90's: Brendan Benson-One Mississippi (1996)

(Photos by Jennifer Youngblood, Tom LeGoff, and Dan Burkhart; Design by Jeff Lyons)

Brendan Benson is a pretty important name in 90's power pop circles (right up there with Matthew Sweet), and he would go on to co-star with Jack White in The Raconteurs (known for hits like "Steady As She Goes"). Regardless, this--his first album-- is often unfairly overlooked, and can be a bit tricky to find.

For a songwriter making his first foray into major label territory (the album was released on Virgin), Benson shows oodles and oodles of confidence. Take for example "Sittin' Pretty", easily the most musically accessible and catchy track on the album. So, you have a radio-ready hit; lightning in a bottle; this track is gonna break you into the mainstream...so what's it about?

Well, metaphorically, it seems to be about a person who has complete dominion over a relationship- a one-sided romance. Read literally it's about sexual violence, obsession, kidnapping, stalking...it's pretty dark! It includes lyrics like: "If I point my gun at you, are you gonna see it my way?" and a chorus of:
"My baby's tied to a chair
Don't she look pretty, just sittin' there?"

Ya know-lyrics that wouldn't sound out of place on an Alice Cooper album. Was Benson ever worried about people conflating the roles of writer and narrator? Label backlash?

It's really quite unique: musically, a super sweet, super catchy power pop gem....but one to listen to through gritted teeth.
(Benson co-wrote the song with Jellyfish's Jason Falkner, so maybe having that veteran presence was a calming influence).

The rest of the album features more of the catchy, brash, and timeless pop Benson is known for-but with a bit more roughness than the follow-up: 2002's "Lapalco".

Sittin' Pretty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqGCyhnUhjA
Insects Rule:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AITAmMZ-ZV0