Ben Cooper, the sole man behind musical project Radical Face, hit mainstream success when his song "Welcome Home" was used for a Nikon camera advertisement. Since then his songs have been used throughout television, including the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower. His newest album, The Family Tree: The Branches, is the second in a trilogy of concept albums. It provides much of what is to love about The Family Tree: The Roots while Cooper greatly magnifies that formula to give us a piece of work that won't soon be forgotten.

Holy Branches
After the brief intro track "Gray Skies," we're thrust into a sweeping, epic song that rivals some of Ben Cooper's best work. Cooper's writing style is truly one of this generation's best; his ability to craft stories into a three to four minute song is remarkable. His lyrics always shine (But everybody's bones are just holy branches/Cast from trees to cut patterns into the world/And in time we find some shelter/Spill our leaves and then sleep in the Earth/And when we're there we'll belong/'Cause the Earth don't give a damn if you're lost). 5/5

The Mute
This is a story about a mute boy, who is resented by his father, that decides to leave home. The lyrics are haunting as Cooper takes us on this four- minute journey. It has an upbeat tone to it; it's a beautiful lyrical juxtaposition. After the first verse, we're welcomed with beautiful chanting that eventually returns to finish the song. 5/5

Reminders
The start of the song is eerily similar to "Ghost Towns" from The Roots. It has a simple string progression that's both catchy and dramatic, featuring a soft flute in the background brings everything together. When Cooper's voice comes in, the song loses a bit of its bravado and it feels a bit more harsh than the previous songs. However, once the beautiful chorus hits the song soars, the lyrics are remarkable and some of the best on the album (You remind me of what I could've been/But that reminder ain't much help). 4.5/5

Summer Skeletons
If your foot doesn't rock to the soft beat of this wonderful song something might be wrong with you. Cooper sings of love and loss of relationships. It's a thinker song of just how fast life goes by. It's musically simple, but the way Cooper tells the story of lost time all but makes up for that. The last minute of this song provides one of the best rhythm changes as violins hit and take this song to a wonderfully lasting conclusion. 5/5

The Crooked Kind
Beautiful, haunting, and complex. 'The Crooked Kind' is probably the album's darkest song. It's entirety has a sense of longing and regret while still keeping and upbeat tempo. Cooper is done with his redundant Ghost days and has fully stepped into something new. 5/5

Chains
This is the only song I turned my head at. It starts with a slow, almost rhythmic chant and the sounds of chains in the background, with a slow bass drum. When Cooper starts singing it gets a bit better, and the lyrics are as great as ever. It's the shortest song on the album, running just over two minutes. It's an overall strange song. 3/5

Letters Home
A heartbreaking song about a man writing his final letter after being shot in the war. It's not a complex song musically, but it's an intense look at love and loss. Only Ben Cooper can make a song with such a heavy subject sound so beautiful. Get some tissues ready for this song. 4.5/5

From the Mouth of an Injured Head
From this song on, the album turns from great to stunningly epic. Ben Coopers writes such sad, depressing songs, but the way the music mirrors the lyrics is what makes his music so easy and riveting to listen to. The dark reminiscent lyrics are no small feat for a such a young career. Ben Cooper is a master of his craft. 5/5

Southern Snow
This is the most haunting song on the album. It's short, it's beautiful, it's something else entirely. Three short stanzas make this song and it's extremely subtextual but it's an eerie look at the human mind. This closes with a breathtaking musical outro. 5/5

The Gilded Hand
If I could give this song a higher score than 5 I would. This is the album's magnus opus. This is Ben Cooper at his most unrestrained both musically and lyrically. Drastically different than anything you've heard from Cooper, the vocal composition in this song is absolutely stunning. The lyrics breathe new life into the album and is an immensely powerful song on the changing times. It's a long song at over six minutes, but it doesn't feel like it. It will bring your jaw to the floor. 5/5

We All Go the Same
This is a strong album closer and classic Cooper. It's fairly macabre in a sense, and lyrically it's of course masterful. Cooper's soft vocals sing of how we all die alone no matter who we die with. It's sad but full of truth and life. Although not as momentous as "The Gilded Hand," it still provides a great end to one of this year's best albums. 5/5

Been Cooper wrote an even more mature and haunting album than his last. Dark lyrics, beautiful musical composition and refined vocals make the whole album shine. The Family Tree: The Branches is a surefire contender for album of the year, and I cannot wait for the third part of this epic concept trilogy to be released. I give the album as a whole 5 stars out of 5.

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