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. ~ Ryan Randall Goble, All Music Guide