We’re Pretty Blown Away by Benjamin Booker [stream]

Benjamin Booker – Have You Seen My Son? SoundCloud

“Jack White better watch out,” warned SoundCloud user Romello Black in the comment section of Benjamin Booker’s single, “Have You Seen My Son?”. The 24-year-old New Orleans native will hit the road with Jack White next month, and Booker’s raspy vocals, potent percussion and kick-ass guitar solos may usurp Jack White’s thunder. “Usurp” is too pejorative, actually — Booker’s rhythmic intensity and eclectic style evoke a unique flair while immaculately accompanying White’s infamous sound.

His two released singles, “Have You Seen My Son?” and “Violent Shiver”, intertwine Hendrix vibes and Joplin fervor. Fast-paced and energetic, his tunes could fit with running, dancing, fighting, laughing or nostalgic reminiscing. His innovative tracks experiment with musical variation as well. “Have You Seen My Son?” seems to end, until a nonchalant snare drum spearheads the song into an alternate musical realm. Suddenly, the track transforms into a hodgepodge of layered percussion, abruptly slowing down and then beautifully ending with what could easily be a different song.

The pace of his music mimics the speed of his career — after touring with Courtney Barnett and premiering on Letterman, he plans to hit up Newport Folk Festival, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. Keep an eye out for this awesome, old-fashioned newbie with a voice “harsh with that all-American whiskey/cigarette/flu type of hoarseness” and guitar skills that “hint at someone who’s been playing the instrument for most of his 20-odd years.” (NME) Booker’s self-titled album, Violent Shiver, debuts August 19th, so be on the lookout for it.