If you were listening to The ECLECTIMANIAC Radio Show on WGXC last night (September 19), you might have heard our interview with musician, Ben Smith. Ben spent some time with us to answer questions and discuss his new album, ‘Picardy’.

Here’s how Ben describes his new album,

“In music theory, the picardy third–also known as the “happy third”–is an altered tone that turns a sad piece of music into a happy one. It brings a hopeful resolution where the listener was expecting resignation. In the key of C, it’s the difference between an E flat and an E natural. It’s a sigh of relief.

In a more general sense, this is what music does for us: it raises our spirits, one note at a time. It’s a quality we find in our closest friends and one we hope to find in our community and country. In a time of such loud division, wouldn’t it be great if our greatest impulses got the picardy treatment, guided by an elevation towards compassion and respect–and ultimately, love? To a certain extent, that’s what the songs on Picardy are all about.”

We played a couple songs on the show last night from Picardy. If you liked what you heard, and want to hear more or purchase the album, you can do so at Ben’s Bandcamp website. Or on iTunes. It’s also available on streaming platforms:  Spotify, iTunes, AppleMusic, GooglePlay, Tidal

The ECLECTIMANIAC Radio Show is a monthly odyssey through a diverse pop landscape featuring new hits, throwbacks, remixes and nu-disco. The show was created by Tony@Large, aka Tony Markham, and is co-hosted by Seth Davis, and me (Jeff McKinney).

For more local happenings, news, and events, follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent on Facebook, and twitter @CoCoCurrent.

Jeff McKinney is a Realtor in Columbia County, NY. Connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.