James Otto- Days Of Our Lives
CD Review by Cheryl Harvey Hill, Sr. Staff Journalist
James Otto credits "writers' nights" in Nashville for shaping his style and fine tuning who he is as a singer and a songwriter. He says that watching other artists taught him how to "mesmerize a crowd." Otto also says his objective is to make great music that moves himself "and hopefully other people." The voice and verve he demonstrates on his debut album, Days Of Our Lives, indicates that he has perfected the mesmerizing and the art of writing profoundly moving lyrics. Otto wrote or co-wrote six of the twelve songs on this album. "Misspent Youth" (based on his own life), "Song Of The Violin" (dedicated to his grandparents), the title cut "Days Of Our Lives," are all good but my favorite song on this album is "The Ball." I really liked Otto's voice on this particular song and the lyrics were emotionally conveyed with such ease.
I also liked "Lowdown On The High Life." His bio states that he wrote this "do as I say, not as I do" song about his paternal grandfather who died from alcohol related illness. The pain he felt is audible in the lyrics as well as in his voice.
Otto sums up his own feelings about his music by referring to it as "rock meets pop meets country," and after hearing his first album, I would agree it is an apt description. When asked to describe his music style, he grins and responds, "It's the James Otto rockin' country-soul revue."
Otto's intentional lean towards, what he calls "rockin' country" should garner him a solid fan base and carve him a comfortable niche' on the radio somewhere between Keith Urban and Kid Rock.
If you like your country with a definite edge, this one's a keeper.
Days Of our Lives track list:
1. Long Way Down
2. Gone
3. Misspent Youth
4. Miss Temptation
5. Sunday Morning, Saturday Night
6. Song Of The Violin7. She Knows
8. Days Of our Lives
9. If It's The Last Thing I Do
10. The Ball
11. Lowdown On The High Life
12. Never Say Goodbye
Official James Otto website
James Otto credits "writers' nights" in Nashville for shaping his style and fine tuning who he is as a singer and a songwriter. He says that watching other artists taught him how to "mesmerize a crowd." Otto also says his objective is to make great music that moves himself "and hopefully other people." The voice and verve he demonstrates on his debut album, Days Of Our Lives, indicates that he has perfected the mesmerizing and the art of writing profoundly moving lyrics. Otto wrote or co-wrote six of the twelve songs on this album. "Misspent Youth" (based on his own life), "Song Of The Violin" (dedicated to his grandparents), the title cut "Days Of Our Lives," are all good but my favorite song on this album is "The Ball." I really liked Otto's voice on this particular song and the lyrics were emotionally conveyed with such ease.
I also liked "Lowdown On The High Life." His bio states that he wrote this "do as I say, not as I do" song about his paternal grandfather who died from alcohol related illness. The pain he felt is audible in the lyrics as well as in his voice.
Otto sums up his own feelings about his music by referring to it as "rock meets pop meets country," and after hearing his first album, I would agree it is an apt description. When asked to describe his music style, he grins and responds, "It's the James Otto rockin' country-soul revue."
Otto's intentional lean towards, what he calls "rockin' country" should garner him a solid fan base and carve him a comfortable niche' on the radio somewhere between Keith Urban and Kid Rock.
If you like your country with a definite edge, this one's a keeper.
Days Of our Lives track list:
1. Long Way Down
2. Gone
3. Misspent Youth
4. Miss Temptation
5. Sunday Morning, Saturday Night
6. Song Of The Violin7. She Knows
8. Days Of our Lives
9. If It's The Last Thing I Do
10. The Ball
11. Lowdown On The High Life
12. Never Say Goodbye
Official James Otto website
