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William Shatner- Has Been (2004)

Label: Shout! Factory
Producer(s): Ben Folds

1- Common People
2- It hasn't happened yet
3- You'll have time.
4- That's me trying
5- What have you done?
6- Together
7- Familiar love
8- Ideal Woman
9- Has Been
10- I can't get behind that
11- Real

This is William Shatner's second album after The Transformed Man' (1968), in which he gave psychedelic readings of songs such as Mr. Tambourine man' and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and whilst mocked his musical career has been' quite successful. This album however is something else!

Shatner has formed a solid friendship with punk/ rock pianist Ben Folds (Rockin' the Suburbs, Supersunnyspeedgraphic) since then he has contributed his vocal talent to In Love' from his Fear of Pop Album and to an alternate version of Rockin' the Suburbs' for the film Over the Hedge. As well as appearing in the Folds video Landed' this has led Folds to produce and arrange this album. Most of the songs are co- written with Folds and he has created arrangements for the prose pieces in the tracks. The songs feature guest vocals from Joe Jackson (Common People), Folds and Aimee Mann (That's me trying), Lemon Jelly (Together), Henry Rollins (I can't get behind that) and Brad Paisley (Real, which he specifically wrote for Shatner). Ben Folds features on most of the tracks in the album.
As well as sheer brilliance in vocals and production, maybe the most striking part of the album is the emotion. Has Been' has a sense of denial at growing old and more saddening What have you done?' describes Shatner's anguish at discovering his wife's (Nerine Shatner) body in their pool in 1999. Real feels like him telling the world that despite his exploits on screen he is only human. All these songs come together to form a truly memorable album.

Unforgettable

8/10

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