Acclaimed Baton Rouge rock group Benjy Davis Project will premiere its new album, “Lost Souls Like Us,” at the Varsity on Friday night.”Lost Souls,” the band’s fourth album, is ripe with country and folk influences.”We have a more ‘jangly’ sound on the guitars for this record, and a lot of the songs have a heavy country influence to them,” said lead singer Benjy Davis.The band recorded much of the album at Rivergate Studios in Hendersonville, a small town in Tennessee.Davis attributed the album’s grassroots sound to the town’s rural setting and help from some Nashville friends, such as Slim Gamble of the popular country band, Lady Antebellum.”[Nashville country contributors] taught us some tricks and helped us find a different perspective on some country sounds,” Davis said.Davis said he feels fans will find the new record consistent with band’s traditional sound despite the newfound country influences.
“Our goal [for “Lost Souls”] was to make a really consistent product,” Davis said. “We think the fans will be excited about the new styles, but it’s a consistent record that we can’t wait for people to hear.”
With the release party serving as the initial live performance for several of the songs from “Lost Souls,” Davis said he believes the new music translates well when played live.
“A lot of the newer stuff, I think, slots really neatly in on our set lists with our live staples and they definitely rock a little bit too,” Davis said.
Davis said the Varsity was the only place he could fathom holding the release party for “Lost Souls Like Us.”
“It’s the best place for us,” Davis said. “We feel at home at the Varsity, and we’re excited to get this stuff out in front of our home crowd and our family and friends.”
The band also claims to have added some new elements for Friday’s live show.”We’re trying to be more interactive with the fans,” Davis said. “But yeah, we definitely have a few things up our sleeve.”
Tickets to the concert and album release party are $15 in advance and are available on the Varsity’s Web site or at The Chimes. Doors open at 8 that night, and the show starts at 9:30.
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]