Roots Music Report

Liner Notes:

About the Album

BENJAMIN DAKOTA ROGERS – BETTER BY NOW – FOLK POP

Better By Now, the title track from Benjamin Dakota Roger's fourth studio album, is a folk-pop ballad that explores the internal friction people endure when pushing themselves to swallow bitter truths and move on.

**=Recommended Songs (E)= Explicit

**Better By Now (3:48) (E Damn)

Sometimes we find ourselves in a relationship we know we shouldn’t be in. We stay because we love them, even though we know better.

**Fare Thee Well (3:15) An upbeat song about leaving those you love but having to move on.

Pretty Girls (4:40) Infused with haunting harmonies, Benjamin romanticizes his love for the dark night time. It captures the times when the traveling wears on the traveler and they start reminiscing about those they are far from.

‘Til I Die (3:50) In Nova Scotia there are some islands that a storm wiped out a large part of the population. The song is about missing someone that passed away from the storm and going out to the ocean to find them.

**$7 (3:51) This song was written on the way to the studio to record this album. It is about his growing career as a musician.

Lazy Old Moon (1:21) This is an interlude about missing home.

Home (3:18) (E-Fucking) The song vaguely captures the feeling of the artist. Life is suppose to hurt. Life is suppose to make you feel things, and there is no point in doing things that don’t make you feel.

**Rockabye (5:07) (E-Damn) Written at a dinner party. Benjamin retired to a field to lay down and write his reflections. His career was starting to take off and he realized that he was getting what he wanted but was going to be missing his friends and family.

Mercy (4:44) (E-Damn) Inspired by a 1911 Rangers badge in his antique collection, Benjamin wrote a western story. A fugitive is being hunted down by cold hearted bounty hunter.

She Was A Singer (3:30) A father telling his child about his mother that is gone.

Saints & Sinners (5:16) A love song about living with mental illness and addiction. It’s about being afraid that they aren't enough.

Short Bio  - Benjamin Dakota Rogers

Having grown up on a farm in Scotland, ON, Benjamin Dakota Rogers is a distinctive, emotive and gritty singer-songwriter whose sound challenges the definition of the folk genre, reaching far beyond to include influences of roots, blues and country music.

Benjamin's music is genuine, emotionally charged folk, that can only be delivered from the honesty, strength and grit of a farm boys hands.

Long Bio Benjamin Dakota Rogers

Benjamin Dakota Rogers makes his highly anticipated return to the folk world

with his brand new single, Better by Now, stripping the genre down to its core and emotionally charging it with the raw human experience that can only be delivered from the honesty and grit of a farm boy’s hands. Hailing from the countryside of rural Ontario, Benjamin funnels his penchant for starry nights and nostalgia into his stylized folk sound, reaching far beyond to include influences of roots, blues and country music.

Benjamin found a passion and purpose in folk music after inheriting his Great-Grandfather’s violin at the tender age of seven. From budding musician to awe-inspiring performer, his love of creating meaningful music has taken the reins and garnered much attention from folk artists and enthusiasts alike. “Rogers’ unique voice, thought-provoking lyrics, energetic performances and dynamic fiddle techniques leave this up-and-coming musician in a class of his own.” –  InSpades Magazine.

With the release of his new single, this singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist folk-phenom proves he’s at the top of his game in every way imaginable, grasping for the stars that light up his quaint hometown of Scotland, ON. As he prepares for the release of his most ambitious project to date, Benjamin Dakota Rogers continues to redefine the genre with an infinite sound evolution that promises to deepen the path he’s already carved for himself for years to come.

Press

“Rogers’ unique voice, thought provoking lyrics, energetic performances and dynamic fiddle techniques leave this up-and-coming musician in a class of his own.”– InSpades Magazine

"We cover a lot of acoustic singer songwriters around here, so when we do feature one it has to be good. Rogers is talented. The way he cranks up the intensity of the vocal on the “really oughta know better by now” on the chorus reveals something deep and satisfying. It’s disturbingly personal....it’ll rip your damn soul out."

EAR TO THE GROUND MUSIC

http://www.eartothegroundmusic.co/2019/02/08/indie-pop-done-right-february-2019/

"A multi-instrumentalist, singer songwriter and composer, Benjamin Dakota Rogers pushes the boundaries of traditional folk. Combining fiddle, guitar and mandolin with his unique voice and strong lyrics he is creating music that demands attention." Jan Hall - Folk Roots Radio with Jan Hall

http://folkrootsradio.com/benjamin-dakota-rogers-the-interview/

ACCOLADES

2017 Folk Music Ontario - Songs From The Heart Award - The Soldier Song - WIN

2017 Unsigned Only International Songwriting Competition - Folk/Singer-Songwriter Category - WIN

2017 Unsigned Only International Songwriting Competition - 1st Place in “Triple Play: Get Exposed Online (Special Promotion)” Category - WIN

2017 Brantford’s Breath of Fresh Air Talent Contest - WIN

2017 Indie Week Canada Showcase - SEMIFINALIST WIN

2016 International Songwriting Competition - Looking For A Fight - WIN

Special Thanks

Album Credits

Produced by Dan Hosh

All songs written by Benjamin Dakota Rogers - SOCAN

Recorded & Mixed at Catherine North Studios (Hamilton, Ontario) by Dan Hosh

Additional engineering by Scott Peacock, Will Crann & Zach Gerber

Assistant Engineer James DeGeer

Mastered by Ryan Morey at Ryan Morey Mastering (Montreal, Quebec)

Managed by Chris Thompson at Subculture Music

Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Nashville Guitar, Stomps, Violin, Banjo, Mandolin, Clarinet, Piano -Benjamin Dakota Rogers

Electric Guitar, Nashville Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion, B3 Organ, Stomps, Chanting -Dan Hosh

Percussion -Scott Peacock, Samuel Keating, Mike Tudisco

Upright Bass -Peter Klaassen

Cello -Kirk Starkey

Piano -Jeff Heisholt, Mike Tudisco, Chris Raitt

Background Vocals -Chris Raitt, Meg Contini, Nate Daniels, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Will Crann, Dan Hosh, Chris Thompson, James DeGeerPedal Steel -Burke Carroll