Album Review: Ben Ottewell - A Man Apart

It's the third solo outing for former Gomez singer Ben Ottewell, and rather than deviate from the folksy-Americana sounds he's tinkered with on previous albums, the gravel-voiced leading man has dished up more gems in the same vein for A Man Apart.

There is an upbeat, polished pop riddled through these ten tracks though, with opener Own It the most immediate example, followed by the Springsteen-esque Watcher. But the title track heads back to Ottewell's familiar sparse arrangements with a dry scatty beat, as does Back To The World and Bones. It's because of these that A Man Apart shines that bit brighter.