“A solid production and effective use of slide guitar help bring it all together.” Read the full review here. Maverick September 2021
“It isn’t a surprise to find that Lost Days Long Nights is a rounded, high quality piece of work. It grabs you from the first chords, the first lyrics” Read the full review from FATEA here. FATEA December 2019: John Reed
” An album for lovers of Americana, with folk, country, etc.” Read full review here. Keys and Chords, Belgium Magazine
“Music for smoky bars and late hours with a good glass of wine.” “Blues/rock between ballads and mid-tempo pieces, in which Benoit sings
about long nights and lost loves. Music for smoky bars and late hours
with a good glass of wine.” Full Review Here. Folker Magazine
“Lost Days Long Nights” is one of the most reflective and profound
chapters of a guitarist, singer and author here grappling with a
persuasive folk rock that refers in certain moments Neil Young, in
other Warren Zevon for ironic and bitter spirit, songs written during
long periods spent abroad. …… Metaphors, considerations on life
and travel and memories of past experiences are the basis of a mature
writing and interesting, while Paul Benoit’s melodic sense makes it
all extremely pleasant and relaxed. (Remo Ricaldone) Full Review Here. Planet County, Italian Magazine
“Here we have another nice plate with an artist who has created a bit
of their own style in the music world. Sure there are many embossed
styles of musical traditions but yet Paul Benoit does not fasten to
anything but both manages and creates a record with good taste.” Read full review here. Blaskan Magazine
“Paul Benoit traveled around the world for Lost Days Long Nights….
It immediately becomes clear that he is also a great guitarist,
because that guitar solo is impressive. The American uses a somewhat
lazy sound, which he provides here with a nice portion of soul. Now
and then you can think of a Clapton.” Read more here. Muziekwereld Magazine
“4 out of 5 stars.” “As a singer he sometimes sounds like John Lennon….at times hopeful,captivating and joyful.” Full Review Here. Musikbloggen 67
“His professionalism as musician is once again demonstrated in each
individual track on this album.” – Click Here for full review. Rootstime Magazine
“Lost Days Long Nights”, with it’s 10 original Americana infused songs,
stands testament to the troubadour tradition, drawing upon Benoit’s
well seasoned music career, and a life well lived and traveled.” Click here for full review. Blue Desert Magazine
“I enjoyed this introduction to this Folky, Blues, Americana musician. The album is full of acoustic travel ballads, powerful guitar, piano and organ and evocative pedal steel. A chronicle of travels on the road, lost love and missed opportunities. An artist with a back catalogue, I’m now keen to explore” read more here. Maximum Volume Music 2019: Damian Sullivan
“His Wurlitzer organ sounds with the songs “I Want to Believe”, “Bad Things” and the waltzing “Daydreaming” are also very nice to listen to. Click here to see the full review. Roots Time 2019
“…Original work is rare these days, Benoit creates vibes that are at least ten miles thick. On Ragpickers, he synthesizes blues, rock and pop, coming out the other side with a profound work, that could be as commercial as the day is long. This artist excels at lyrical content, his vocals are in the pocket, the players support Benoit’s work with reverence, the mix, production, and mastering are as accessible as this artists heart and soul are.”
Victory Review Magazine: Christopher Brant Anderson
“This sounds strange—cool. Performance poet Chris Chandler has joined forces with world-class roots and Americana guitar guru Paul Benoit. Remember when Utah Phillips and Ani Difranco did an album together? This is cool like that and then some-in fact, Utah Phillips calls Chris Chandler, “The best peformance poet I have ever seen.” If you’re not familiar, imagine a self-aware bad man brimming with passion and nimble with words speaking about such diverse topics as the banality of evil and the ramifications of leopard print pillbox hats, with irresistable riffs and short films in the background.”
The Journal, Humbolt County California: Jennifer Savage
“Though this is not the sort of album to which I am automatically drawn, Ragpickers is so accomplished and listenable that resistance is pointless.”
Rambles.net: Jerome Clark
“Paul Benoit, Ragpickers: Paul Benoit plays perfectly pleasant blues-folk.”
Seattle Weekly Reviews: Mike Seely
“Paul Benoit is able to play glorious guitar licks and transmit a pure front porch feeling…knows how to surprise with his music again and again.”
Hooked on Music: Michael Masuch, Germany
“Paul Benoit remains a songwriter worth tracking down. Ragpickers continues his journey into pure contemporary Americana…” (read the full review here)
Leicester Bangs: Rob F., England
“Paul Benoit has the flair that feels intimate and enjoyable… and a unique voice both in musical sound and vocal intonation.”
Jersey Beat, New Jersey, USA
“Chris Chandler has joined forces with Seattle roots and Americana guru Paul Benoit. Together their styles merge like lanes on an outbound interstate. Delivering vignettes about politics and modern culture with the fire of a Baptist preacher, the music is rooted in roots, colored with blues, and based in Americana. They have now traveled four extended tours on both coasts.”
Focus Music Concerts, Washington D.C.
“Paul Benoit is a musician with a light and deft touch…an album that demands the full attention of artist and audience.”
Maverick Magazine: the voice of country, folk, bluegrass and roots, England
“…has to be in the collection of everyone who likes the singer-songwriter genre and who enjoys brooding lyrics refreshed with thoughtful virtuoso guitar playing. An absolute recommendation.”
Rootstime Magazine, Belgium
“The Escale bar of Saint-Aignan received Paul Benoit for an evening of folk, blues, and country that was very appreciated by fans of this genre that got together in this atypical bistro. Paul Benoit is a professional musician for more than 20 years. A traveler between the America’s and European countries, his music and songs are very rhythmic and very solid, also using jazz and country in their arrangements.”
Country at the bar Escale, France
“Lyrics are rich with imagery. Rhymes are fresh, lead lines are mellow and the whole package is solidly grooving and easy on the ears…”
Top DIY Picks, Performing Songwriter
“The opening band was fronted by blues slide guitar virtuoso and vocalist Paul Benoit and Syd Kilgus-Vesely on harmonica and vocals. Damn they’ve got it. Paul’s got a little Hound Dog Taylor and Duane in him.”
—Review for show with blues legend Willie Murphy
La Cuadra, Magazine and Guide to the Other Side, Antigua, Guatemala
“Back from playing 12 shows in El Salvador, where Seattle singer/songwriter Paul Benoit described one venue as “a drained swimming pool looking over the Pacific,” the man deserves a packed house…”
—Review of Paul at Tost Lounge
Calendar Recommends, Sound Magazine
“Combustible, a smattering of folksy acoustic guitar-driven tunes flavored with Paul’s smoky voice and pensive delivery…an album like this allows one (yes, ME) to tend to your bleeding ears and your broken heart at the same time with whimsical melodies deliberating life’s eternal reflection.”
Kotori Magazine
“The authoritative string-playing of the bluesy Benoit and the bluegrassy Law keep musical interest high, whether they are playing tunes drawn from Appalachia or India”.
Paul de Barros – Seattle Times jazz critic
“But all that matters is that Hanuman’s blend of jazz, bluegrass, country and rock’n’ roll with African beats sounds damn good. These guys play acoustically with mandolins, guitars, bass, and percussion, and structure their songs around tight improvisations, which alternately swing, groove, and rock.”
The Stranger
“While being mesmerized by their live performance, one can discern African rhythms, Far-and Middle Eastern exotica, funk, blues, jazz, and progressive-rock riffs. Bottom line: it’s truly amazing what the multi-talented group incorporates into a sound that is ultimately very original.”
Ballard News Tribune
Country at the bar Escale
Canadian Writers’ Collective, “Fragile” by Tricia Dowers
Kotori Magazine, 270-degree reviews: Combustible CD review
Combustible Review: Performing Songwriter, Top DIY Picks
Songs for Shelter article/review
Paul Benoit is “Combustible”
Quote: Hop Vine Songwriter Series
Best New Local Band, Seattle Weekly “Best of Seattle Readers’ Picks”
Hanuman Review: Relix Magazine “On The Verge: Eight Artists You Should Know About”
Review: Hanuman at The Last Day Saloon, Jambase.com
Crosseyed, Crosseyed Review: Aspen News
Crosseyed Review: The Northwest Music Magazine, Pandemonium!