BLACK COTTAGE RECORDS

"There's a lot to be said for 'Sweet and Twisted's dead pan, ever-so-slightly-glam pop --it's just plain fun to listen to Bennett, who seems like he's having huge amounts of fun even during his more morose songs. Sweet and Twisted's off-kilter confessionals and character sketches are charming for their idiosyncrasies ...The self-effacing lyrics, too, are charming as hell without ever becoming precious. He goes on about all these girls he's known or wanted to know or didn't feel like knowing anymore, and it seems like no one's ever sung about girls before. It's sweet and self-mocking and slightly-grumpy enough to be incredibly likable ... When the eponymous lead character of "Nancy" complains that he "was nothing but a 'pop poet' and (his) shows were boring", it's telling about both her and the narrator; Bennett may think of himself as just a "pop poet", but Sweet and Twisted reveals his potential to be much more."  Mandy Shekleton, Splendid E-zine

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: "Picking up where he left off, Craig Bennett is still tuned into coolly textured singer/songwriter pop, underpinning his songs with drama and picturesque poetics. …Bennett lines his songs with odd references and cleverly detailed narratives that unravel unpredictably through his uniquely elastic arrangements… Bennett has the ability to eerily evoke classic era Bowie, while exuding an almost mocking self-possession. With smooth, flowing arrangements, [and] adopting R & B-like tones, the album suggests a dreaminess with the blending and pairing of textures, yet snaps the listener back into Bennett's story world with the evocative and blunt nature of the songwriting. Delivered with a disquieting matter-of-factness, Bennett …never allows the listener to be in any way sure what direction his narratives may take. Gorgeously sweet melodies are paired with downright nasty sentiments, as narrators of tracks like "Good Listener" spout vitriol at both themselves and their protagonists. Overall, an album born of unique vision and voice that more than lives up to its title." -Matt Fink, All Music Guide

...as you would hope with any musician, his music just keeps getting better as he hones his talents. Bennett's brand of textured, timeless pop is just as pristine and lovely as ever, and he still makes wry twists of phrase, subtle but fitting ...Bennett has the kind of mid-80s British singer/songwriter voice that resonates with you, and along with his light, charming melancholy pop, his sound has the feel of drawing from the past four decades without feeling 'retro' at all. As always, his voice takes the lead on these songs, but if anything the music is even better, more mature and confident than ever before and providing the perfect textured accompaniment…This is definitely a singer/songwriter in his prime." DOA Magazine

"Indeed, 'Sweet and Twisted' is just about a perfect title. The first piece of warped genius is only two tracks in and is called 'All Night Bookstore ...if you want to lose yourself in album for there quarters of an hour, then you'll be hard pushed to find a better one than this. Bennett relies heavily on story telling, although I wouldn't want to be a character in one of his tales, and like all the best records, there is a healthy dose of self-loathing at work here ...it's one of the best albums of its kind I've ever heard. Buy it." Tasty, UK Indie Zine 

"['Sweet and Twisted'] is a lyrically heavy dose of coffee shop pop. Bennett's muse is clear. If you see his paintings, it's even more clear. This guy likes him some ladies…He deals a lot with change on this record, and particularly post-change regretful hindsight. The catalyst for change is (you guessed it) women, but it also from time, geography, and weather...What makes this record stand out from a lot of others of its ilk, though, are all of the unexpected found-sounds and noises, which pop up throughout the mix. Fans of "singer/songwriter" stuff, and particularly David Bowie's first handful of records will enjoy this."Edward McElvain, Independent Mind, Iowa City, Iowa

"Craig Benett is een singer-songwriter uit Georgia die met 'Sweet And Twisted' zijn derde CD heeft uitgebracht. Bij singer-songwriter moet je echter niet denken aan droevige, melancholische liedjes: Benett weet in zijn eentje een vol geluid te produceren, met invloeden uit de glamrock-periode (denk aan David Bowie) en vroege Briste new wave. Leuk voor liefhebbers, niet voor."- Martijn Grooten, Think Small, Dutch Indie Fanzine, 10 februari 2002