As a singer and lead guitarist in rock band Gomez, Ben Ottewell is well known for his unmistakable voice and talent for blistering and inspired guitar solos.
Ottewell released his first solo album Shapes & Shadows (ATO) in 2011, featuring such beautiful acoustic tunes as 'Blackbird', 'Shapes and Shadows' and 'Take This Beach', which appeared on FX’s Sons of Anarchy. Since then, Ottewell has been pleasing audiences with a series of successful solo tours across the UK, US and Australia.
On his record, Rattlebag, Ottewell once again collaborated with childhood friend and his Shapes & Shadows writing partner Sam Genders, previously of Tunng. 'Sam and I grew up together in a little village called Bonsall in Derbyshire and have been friends since childhood. I love his songwriting - the stuff he did with his bands Tunng and The Accidental, particularly lyrically.'
In 2013, Ottewell connected with his fan base to crowd-fund Rattlebag and launched a pledge campaign on Indiegogo. 'It seems to be a really honest way to do it,' Ottewell said at the time. 'Indiegogo lends a kind of transparency into making the record . . . I feel long-term Gomez followers will really enjoy engaging in this way.' The experiment worked well and exceeded his fundraising goal, with enthusiastic supporters from around the world contributing to the recording of the album.
Simultaneously stripped-down and lush, Rattlebag was a collection of beautifully poetic tales of salvation and redemption, of sanctuary and braving rocky seas in search of distant shores. Ottewell’s infectious melodies and bluesy riffs will stick with you, and beg you to sing along.
'There’s a time and place for us / I will take you there,' he sings ('Shoreline'). Ben Ottewell proffers hope and promise accompanied by sublime acoustic and slide guitars, and that’s something we can all use.