Shapes & Shadows
Ben Ottewell
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| Name | Artist | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 |
Shapes and Shadows | Ben Ottewell | 3:45 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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2 |
Lightbulbs | Ben Ottewell | 4:48 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
3 |
All Brand New | Ben Ottewell | 4:16 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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4 |
Blackbird | Ben Ottewell | 4:33 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
5 |
Chicago | Ben Ottewell | 4:02 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
6 |
No Obstacles | Ben Ottewell | 2:42 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
7 |
Chose | Ben Ottewell | 3:26 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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8 |
Step Right Back | Ben Ottewell | 3:40 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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9 |
Take This Beach | Ben Ottewell | 4:37 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| Total: 9 Songs |
iTunes Review
Ben Ottewell is best known as a member of the band Gomez; specifically, he’s the one with the most distinctive voice of their three lead singers. Shapes & Shadows, his first solo release, leans to the roots-rock side of Gomez. Stripped-down and rustic, the album features acoustic arrangements and carefully crafted songs that blend well together, which is not to say they all sound alike. Ottewell clearly takes great care to give each of the nine tracks its own identity. “Chicago,” for instance, begins with a fingerpicked guitar melody before injecting an amped-up middle section that elevates the song. Strings, synths, brass, and ambient sounds turn “Lightbulb” and “Blackbird,” two of the standout tracks, into slices of subtle chamber pop, while the title track, “Step Right Back,” and “No Obstacles” are soulful folk-rock well suited to Ottewell’s warm, rich tenor. “All Brand New” and “Take This Beach” are quiet, dreamy acoustic guitar numbers, and “Chose” is a gorgeous piano ballad that builds to an unpredictable finish. Beguiling and free of filler, Shapes & Shadows reveals that Ottewell has a songwriting voice very much his own.
Customer Reviews
Ben Ottewell Shapes and Shadows
I was really looking forward to this album and it has not disappointed. I'm a big Gomez fan and when Ian Ball released "Who Goes There" a few years back I've always wondered when Ben was going to put one out. We were able to see Ben perform some of these songs live in NYC last week and although he was a one man band he really did bring out the feel for these songs without the backing band. A great musician and songwriter needs nobody other than himself to captivate an audience, and in a nutshell that is what Ben did last week on stage and that is what he is able to do on the album as well. Cheers!
A Pleasant Listen
After more than 20 years of listening to Gomez's albums and ritualistically attending the band's concerts, I can be honest: there are times when I am more of a Ben fan than a Gomez fan. I like Tom and I tolerate Ian, but I love Ben's voice. Shapes and Shadows is a subdued, lo-fi affair. The is guitar work is subtle, the strings endearing and the lyrics, especially on "Lightbulbs," are evocative. If I have a criticism (I think this is more of an obseration) it is this: if you've seen Gomez in concert, you can't help but take delight in hearing Ben rear back and fill the autotorium with his distinctively powerful voice. Rarely does Ben change his pitch on Shapes and Shadows, which is to offer that the album is more pleasant than anything else.
Pleasantly surprised!
I am a fan of Gomez, but was a little reticent to download this album. Even though Ben Ottewell has the strongest singing voice in Gomez (in my opinion), I didn't think that guaranteed a decent solo album. Well, its definitely a better than decent album. I'm relieved to say its strong end to end, and worth the investment of time and money. I hope Ben comes to DC so I can see him live, with or without Gomez. Enjoy!
Biography
Born: England
Genre: Alternative
Years Active: '90s, '00s, '10s
Top Albums and Songs By Ben Ottewell
| Name | Album | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Shapes and Shadows | Shapes & Shadows | 3:45 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
2 |
Take This Beach | Shapes & Shadows | 4:37 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
3 |
Blackbird | Shapes & Shadows | 4:33 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
4 |
All Brand New | Shapes & Shadows | 4:16 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
5 |
Lightbulbs | Shapes & Shadows | 4:48 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
6 |
Step Right Back | Shapes & Shadows | 3:40 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
7 |
No Obstacles | Shapes & Shadows | 2:42 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
8 |
Chose | Shapes & Shadows | 3:26 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
9 |
Chicago | Shapes & Shadows | 4:02 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
- $8.91
- Genres: Alternative, Music, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Rock
- Released: Feb 15, 2011
- ℗ 2011 Tarka Music under exclusive license to ATO Records, LLC
