September 2006 - CD Review, AMSTERDAM

"NOW IT'S JUST WAITING FOR THE
RIGHT PEOPLE AND THE BIG BREAK"

Ben Mitchell is an Australian singer who lived in London for a while and got into the recording studio when he did. Mitchell is a sensitive man and sensitive men who write songs get compared to Jack Johnson and James Blunt these last few months. These aren't really names the typical Americana fan gets into. It’s funny though that, for example James Blunt, before his big break, in a lot of reviews was compared to Elliot Smith - and a lot of people do get into that. This isn't really the place to go deeper into that, but it does show that alternative fans don’t really like to hear their songs on Sky Radio.

The Stars Can See is still ‘alternative’. Now. No one (Major Label) owns it and on it we hear a singer/songwriter who shows his heart in an honest and sincere way in twelve different songs. Beautiful. Sensitive too. And yes, as a result you can compare it to Blunt and Johnson. And yes, there are songs on the album which can easily be big hits on the radio (and played on Arbeidsvitamine!).

He is an up-to-date singer-songwriter of folk-pop, with a sweet and passionate voice but something more happens here. Mitchell isn't afraid of a big gesture. He never goes over the top yet he knows how to create theatre. At those moments (like in Superseeded or the soulful Everything) he reminds of Rufus Wainwright (or Jeff Buckley or even Antony). Look out for the dark jazzy love sing Kitty Kat. As enigmatic as Jim White can be - it is a striking highlight.

On most of the tracks Mitchell combines the intimacy of Damien Rice with the melody of David Gray. There is a lot to this Australian guy and lot has come out in The Stars Can See. Now it's just waiting for the right people and the big break.

(Written by Patrick Donders)