by Ryan Randall Goble
The full range of Ben Harper's influences would not come to bear until later albums, but his debut, Welcome to the Cruel World, lays a strong foundation. &Like a King& and &Take That Attitude to Your Grave& burn with a political conviction rarely heard during the 1990s. &Forever& has a tenderness which demonstrates Harper's emotional range. Lackluster hippie jams that cultivated his early following may have served a purpose but feel fluffy by comparison when compared to the meatier tracks. Ben closes the album with a song that frequently closes his concerts, &I'll Rise.& This song, built around Maya Angelou's 1979 poem &And Still I Rise,& reminds one of art's ability to pierce through society, self, and the soul.