Brendan Benson is no slouch. After his 1996 debut, One Mississippi, the Michigan-born guitarist went on to release a string of EPs and LPs over the following decade and a half, some of which were his own efforts while others were collaborations. Working alongside Jack White as a member of The Raconteurs, arguably his most successful collaboration, allowed Benson to combine his garage-inspired power pop with White’s signature grit and crunch. The result was the unmistakably Detroit sound of tough songs brimming with confidence.

Returning to his solo career and releasing his latest album, My Old, Familiar Friend, Benson showcases his skill for writing catchy pop songs that still have some of the grit from his days as a Raconteur. While at The Pop Machine he played three such songs for us, stripping down his stage plot to just a beautiful acoustic guitar and his scratchy, straightforward vocals.

Be sure to check out Benson’s live set on tour and his excellent catalog of records. My Old, Familiar Friend is out on ATO Records.

MP3 Session Downloads:

Brendan Benson - A Whole Lot Better
Brendan Benson - Cold Hands Warm Heart
Brendan Benson - Eyes On The Horizon

Recorded and Mixed by Eric and Marc Johnson at The Pop Machine
Filmed and Edited by Doug Fellegy