Benjamin Tod Opens Up About Recording ‘Vengeance and Grace,’ Making Art for Art’s Sake, and Things He’d Rather Do Than Tour (Exclusive)

Today (April 17), Benjamin Tod delivers his latest solo album, Vengeance and Grace. The double-version release showcases the traditional country sound of his more recent work and the stripped-down acoustic performances that form the bedrock of his discography. More than that, it sees Tod evolving, adapting, and striking a balance between those disparate styles.

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Ahead of today’s release, Tod took a break from recording sessions for a still-unannounced album to talk about Vengeance and Grace. During the conversation, he discussed his artistic evolution, getting comfortable in the studio, and more. He also shared his honest thoughts about touring and things that are more important to him than being on the road.

[RELATED: Benjamin Tod Calls Lost Dog Street Band’s New Single “Survived” the Best Song He’s Ever Written (Exclusive)]

Benjamin Tod on His Growth As an Artist

Benjamin Tod is the kind of guy who strives to better himself daily. That desire for change and growth has been reflected in his music over the years. His early solo material was populated by the thoughts of a man battling addiction and other demons. As he healed, his songwriting shifted. While his songs are no less moving, the focus is markedly different. Further, he has started blending more traditional country music into his sound, adding a full band to his solo records.

“Honestly, it surprises me still, my adaptability,” Tod says when asked about his continued artistic evolution. “I’m not saying that to blow smoke up my own ass,” he clarifies. “I say it from the perspective of, like most individuals, having a lot of self-doubt in general.”

Listening to his last few solo albums is evidence of that adaptability. There is a sharp contrast between the first half of Vengeance and Grace and his 2022 album Songs I Swore I’d Never Sing.

“I only started coming to studios in Nashville in a serious capacity with Shooting Star. It was the first album that I got into a studio with isolation rooms and actual live tracking and things,” Tod reveals. “Previous to Shooting Star and Survived, we had done everything with one of my good friends and mentors, and the leader of Anti-Corp, the label I was on for years. We did it one track at a time. I’d come in and lay a guitar and vocal track, and we would layer the drums and bass and everything on top of that. It was very DIY, and I was in full control of production,” he explains.

Getting Comfortable in the Studio

Benjamin Tod hasn’t just been writing and recording songs. He’s been learning from the producers he’s worked with over the last few years. He has also been getting plenty of practice.

“It’s funny, I’ve done two records this year. One earlier this year at the Bomb Shelter and one with Shooter [Jennings] out in LA. Then, I stepped in here to record another album, and it’s crazy because I felt unconsciously that I could run the whole thing like a captain. Just after being in the studio in this upgraded fashion. This is my fourth time, but I just kind of took to it,” he says.

“It almost feels like Survived was practice for Vengeance and Grace,” Tod says. “I go back and listen to that and go, ‘Here are the mistakes that I made.’ This record is developed. I think that I have finally fine-tuned the balance between the electric instrumentation and the songwriting while also bringing in that real roots feel,” he explains.

Benjamin Tod on Making Art

Both Benjamin Tod and Lost Dog Street Band have been building a following for more than a decade now. While some would see that as a great start, he is content with the fans he has won with his music.

“I don’t write music to sell. I don’t create products for distribution like Music Row and half the people on the chart. I make art, and I deliver it to the public, and it does well, or it doesn’t,” Tod explains, clarifying that his stance on that hasn’t changed. “I have no interest in conquering the country music ladder or playing stadiums or being the biggest artist in the world. Never have,” he continues.

The Truth About Touring

When we spoke, Benjamin Tod and his wife and musical collaborator, Ashley Mae, were weeks away from welcoming their first child into the world. He was also preparing to go on tour to support this album.

“A lot of things can take me off the road,” he says when asked if his growing family would make them stop touring. “I’m not dying to be on the road,” he adds.

“I don’t dread going on the road. I’m not sitting there having a sh***y time with my crew and on stage. That’s not what I’m saying,” Tod clarifies. “There are a lot of things to do with your time in life, and that’s not something that’s personally valuable to me. I do it so that records are heard and get out there and to put food on my table and metal on my roof,” he explains.

“I love and appreciate the fans tremendously. I love every other aspect of what I do–making music videos, coming to the studio, songwriting, and photo shoots. I just don’t want to be away from home for a month. I have a lot of actual, real-life responsibilities in my family and my community. Those are more important.”

After a brief pause, he adds, “Any artist on this planet with a child would rather be at home with them. They’re lying through their teeth if they tell you they want to go on the road.”

He Has Priorities

Benjamin Tod has a full plate without touring, and he likes it that way. There is a long list of things he puts above packing up and hitting the road.

“Life is incredibly short. There are a lot of experiences and things to do in this life rather than spending months selling yourself on a stage or trying to hawk tickets and albums,” Tod says. “I love working with my hands, I love diesel engines, running heavy equipment, and maintaining my property. I love being a protector and provider for my family,” he says. While one could never doubt Tod’s love for and devotion to his craft, there’s a passion and joy in his voice when he talks about his family that is absent when discussing his music.

“My granddad is getting older, and I’m slowly becoming the patriarch of the family,” he adds, looking to the future. He’s already helping to shape the next generation of his family. “I’m very close to my sister and her two children, who look up to me as a role model.”

Benjamin Tod’s Favorite Song on Vengeance and Grace

Most songwriters are reluctant to choose a favorite song from a project when asked. They often compare it to asking a parent to pick a favorite child before reluctantly choosing one or two tracks. I’ve asked Benjamin Tod that question several times over the last few years, and he rarely hesitates to answer. This time was no different. He didn’t miss a beat before naming the album’s title track as his favorite.

“I would say, from my own personal perspective, it is one of the greatest songs I’ve ever written,” he said of the title track. “Every record, I write one song, and I’m like, ‘Okay, there’s the goalpost now.’ ‘Survived’ was that for the year previous. That’s the best song I ever wrote.”

For Tod, “Vengeance and Grace” was both personal and cathartic. “I think ‘Vengeance and Grace’ conveys a part of my soul that I needed to express. A deep, deep, dark, and beautiful process of vengeance and grace moving in and out within each other, destroying and rebuilding an individual.”

Vengeance and Grace is available to stream across all digital platforms. Physical copies, including a 2LP vinyl edition, are available via Tod’s official store. He is also on tour until late October. Check his site for dates and more.

Featured Image by Starla Groves