Ben Ottewell – Shapes & Shadows (Eat Sleep)
3/5
By: Lauren Down
Most recognisable as the voice of Mercury Prize winning Southport quintet Gomez, Ben Ottewell has spent the last year, far from home across the Atlantic Ocean in Los Angeles, recording on his solo debut. Not quite as sun-soaked as one might expect, there is a certain maturity that steers this album much farther into the heartfelt than the playful offerings of his erstwhile five-piece.
Apparently assembled during tours and recording gaps, Shapes and Shadows seems to have absorbed the disjointed nature of its writing process playing as if an awkward, unintended after thought rather than a succinct, structured album. Tracks often find themselves indistinguishable from one another, a cluttered fusion of after thoughts whose offerings seem somewhat hollow. His infamous gritty vocals are smoothed out, at times somewhat listless and yet this album is difficult to actively dislike. Packed with some beautifully crafted songs: delicate, intimate and at times even passionate melancholic melodies swell against soulful inflections and tender lyrics.
‘Blackbird’ remains simple and typically sparse in its arrangement but as we delve further into this solo effort, tracks like ‘No Obstacles’ grow busier and more intricate, ensuring the album is not an entirely tedious affair. Engaging and compelling, there is a richness to tracks like the bluesy ‘Step Right Back’ and lead single ‘Lightbulbs,’ its horns bellowing in on a tense, sad air before the softly strummed guitars punctuate aching, sincere lyrics and a blusterous, posturing chorus. As if ushered in on a rare warm breeze in this wintry month, his classic folk-rock harmonies are underscored by a tangible sense of regret.
Shapes and Shadows subtle blend of folk, pop, blues and rock ‘n’ roll making for an easy, sometimes effortlessly beautiful listen. But all too often his songs suffer from an overproduced gloss, his vocals becoming lost in overly ornate or tiresome arrangements. While a talented musician, Ottewell’s skills are not best displayed in here, as he fails to push his original efforts beyond overall mediocrity.
Ben Ottewell 'Lightbulbs' by Eat Sleep Records
Artists in this article: Ben Ottewell , Gomez
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