Ben Godwin does not have a MySpace page*. Intriguing, mysterious even. What's more fascinating is Ben Godwin's voice in comparison to his physical body. Ben Godwin has what I call the Glen Phillip's Syndrome (Glen Phillips - former lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket, look it up). Those afflicted physically do not match up with their voice; a mouse of a man possessing a voice way too big for the performer; a frail man with glasses screaming out a gritty jazzed-based vocal a listener can barely believe he rightfully owns. Somehow though, he pulls it off. But don't take my word for it, buy Skin and Bone, give it a listen, and then visit www.bengodwin.com and browse through his pictures in utter disbelief.

Ok, the cd. Starting off, "Drinking Gasoline" may have very well been written as the 1st act closer to some fantastic Broadway musical taking place in dank, rainy back alleys and sleazy bars. Everyone's smoking and scantily-clad women are dancing on the bar like they've chosen this profession because it's fun. Oh, "New World City" gives off the same sort of animation, but this time "la la la la la la la la"'s make a grand and appreciated entrance. Godwin's use of a stomping piano, sandpaper vocals, and surprising word usage (bonus points for incorporating the phrase "post-millennium bric-a-brac") renders Skin and Bone not only repeat-worthy, but distinctive. Then we slow down. Enter the tear-jerking piano heavy love ballad, "Constantly Reminded", highlighted by references to hands and New York City (like any decent love song), and every fish-netted female wipes her eyes and thinks that maybe things like love and happiness and not dancing on a bar until 4 a.m. really do exist.

But enough with the musical theater connections (even though it's under Skin and Bone's surface for the duration of the album); Godwin moves his rowdy vocals over nine blues-based tracks relating, love, New York City, and rats like no one's ever thought about any of these things before.

The album ender and title track, "Skin and Bone" couldn't be a better concluder with it's background chorus (of singing barmaids) and piano induced raunchiness; I can't really think of a reason to sit still or not play the cd over again from the beginning.