Ben Owens' debut album, Don't Try This at Home, is a raw rock 'n' roll odyssey heavily influenced by country and folk. The album features noisy rock with the punk edge of The Clash as well as the country-rock twang of the Rolling Stones. Sprinkled throughout are more sensitive Neil Young-esque acoustic ballads, giving the album a few dynamic peaks and valleys. The lyrics take the foreground for the most part, and Owens tackles a wide range of subjects. Don't Try This at Home features a few tales of love and loss ranging from the charmingly naive "Come Back to Me" to the more stirring "Waiting for Me," sung from the perspective of a fallen soldier to his nearly-suicidal widow. "Rock Star" is a frivolous but witty autobiography told from a child's point of view. The Album also features four narratives. While "JFK" is a funny story about a guitar shop employee of the same name, "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Afterlife," "Don't Try This at Home," and "Friday Night" are darker tales all ending with an almost M. Night Shyamalan style twist. While the music is simple, taking a back seat to the lyrics like most good country and folk, the musicianship and production here are in good form. The band is tight, but not too tight. In fact, the rhythm section sounds pretty live. The three chord rock is fleshed out by subtle arranging intricacies, especially on "Turtles" and "Don't Try This at Home." The unison lines between piano, organ, glockenspiel, and even trumpet harken back to Born to Run creating an orchestral effect with minimal instrumentation. The guitar is raw and blistering, like Jimmy Page with more country edge or Keith Richards with more flash. Each song bleeds into the next like Sgt. Pepper or Dark Side of the Moon. This is not a concept album, but it's clear that it all works together as a cohesive unit, not just a few singles plus filler.