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BEN MITCHELL website
Thursday, February 22, 2007
February 2007 - THE BEST STUFF
THE BEST STUFF IN THE WORLD
One cyber-space-man has chosen
THE STARS CAN SEE as
'The Best Alternative Australian Album'
EVER (!)...there could be others too.
BEN MITCHELL website
One cyber-space-man has chosen
THE STARS CAN SEE as
'The Best Alternative Australian Album'
EVER (!)...there could be others too.
BEN MITCHELL website
Monday, November 20, 2006
November 2006 - CD Review, LONDON
"Next Big Thing"
A certain soft David Gray warble to the voice, a hint of early Van in there too perhaps along with names like Ben Harper, Jeff Buckley and Jack Johnson, Melbourne singer-songwriter Mitchell's getting feted as potential next big thing with this debut album.
It may be a bit early for that, but from the laid back soul flecked opener Go Now (which oddly sounds a bit like a medieval troubadour ballad in places) and the Johnson-like grooves of Your Hold Is Strong and a playful Cool And A Little Silly, it's obvious he has the talent and the ability to make the grade.
Generally upbeat in its musings on life and love, it also shows Mitchell exploring the musical territory. Could Not Love You More posits a meeting point between the Beatles and Radiohead, Everything and Kitty Kat are both bluesy jazz numbers that respectively seem to tip the hat to Beck and Bobby Darin, while Moon Shine offers acoustic folk blues and the irresistible acoustic strummed Photo's a nifty echo of the young James Taylor.
He closes up with the confidently relaxed country soul streaked We Win And We Lose Some, a beguilingly beautiful whole body massage of a song that guarantees we'll be hearing a lot more from the lad in the months ahead.
Mike Davies
NET RHYTHMS
A certain soft David Gray warble to the voice, a hint of early Van in there too perhaps along with names like Ben Harper, Jeff Buckley and Jack Johnson, Melbourne singer-songwriter Mitchell's getting feted as potential next big thing with this debut album.
It may be a bit early for that, but from the laid back soul flecked opener Go Now (which oddly sounds a bit like a medieval troubadour ballad in places) and the Johnson-like grooves of Your Hold Is Strong and a playful Cool And A Little Silly, it's obvious he has the talent and the ability to make the grade.
Generally upbeat in its musings on life and love, it also shows Mitchell exploring the musical territory. Could Not Love You More posits a meeting point between the Beatles and Radiohead, Everything and Kitty Kat are both bluesy jazz numbers that respectively seem to tip the hat to Beck and Bobby Darin, while Moon Shine offers acoustic folk blues and the irresistible acoustic strummed Photo's a nifty echo of the young James Taylor.
He closes up with the confidently relaxed country soul streaked We Win And We Lose Some, a beguilingly beautiful whole body massage of a song that guarantees we'll be hearing a lot more from the lad in the months ahead.
Mike Davies
NET RHYTHMS
November 2006 - Interview, BRISBANE
"His music is like nothing you’ve heard before.
Gold has well and truly been struck."
Panning for gold amongst the streams of musical artists on offer can be a frustratingly unrewarding process…but luckily not always. Sometimes beneath the layers of grime and dirt you’ll spot a sweet golden glimmer. Such riches are revealed with Ben Mitchell, whose extraordinary talent has unlocked a rich vein of valuable musical gold.
With his debut album, ‘The Stars Can See’ released early in 2006, the Melbourne born singer-songwriter fluidly demonstrates his diversity of style, a wonderful blend of alt-country, folksy blues, and acoustic soul. While he has been compared to many artists, such as James Blunt, Ben Harper and Jeff Buckley, in reality such comparisons are unnecessary; Mitchell’s style is all his own.
‘We Win and We Lose Some’ is a soulful richly melodious song with honest, uplifting lyrics. Delivered with an edge of country, these lyrics are sung straight from the heart. Thankfully devoid of a complicated musical backing, Mitchell’s poetic voice is used to full effect as an instrument in its own right. ‘Superseeded’ has a slower, sweetly melancholic sound which highlights the powerful range of Mitchell’s voice. The raw sorrowful music perfectly complements the achingly beautiful lyrics which are delivered with real emotion.
Ben Mitchell is a music lover’s musician. His voice is sensitive and strong, which speaks truthfully, both from experience and from the heart. His music is like nothing you’ve heard before, and yet at the same time seems strangely familiar; connecting to your soul, like that is where it has always belonged. Gold has well and truly been struck.
The QUIET PAWS interview...
Gold has well and truly been struck."
Panning for gold amongst the streams of musical artists on offer can be a frustratingly unrewarding process…but luckily not always. Sometimes beneath the layers of grime and dirt you’ll spot a sweet golden glimmer. Such riches are revealed with Ben Mitchell, whose extraordinary talent has unlocked a rich vein of valuable musical gold.
With his debut album, ‘The Stars Can See’ released early in 2006, the Melbourne born singer-songwriter fluidly demonstrates his diversity of style, a wonderful blend of alt-country, folksy blues, and acoustic soul. While he has been compared to many artists, such as James Blunt, Ben Harper and Jeff Buckley, in reality such comparisons are unnecessary; Mitchell’s style is all his own.
‘We Win and We Lose Some’ is a soulful richly melodious song with honest, uplifting lyrics. Delivered with an edge of country, these lyrics are sung straight from the heart. Thankfully devoid of a complicated musical backing, Mitchell’s poetic voice is used to full effect as an instrument in its own right. ‘Superseeded’ has a slower, sweetly melancholic sound which highlights the powerful range of Mitchell’s voice. The raw sorrowful music perfectly complements the achingly beautiful lyrics which are delivered with real emotion.
Ben Mitchell is a music lover’s musician. His voice is sensitive and strong, which speaks truthfully, both from experience and from the heart. His music is like nothing you’ve heard before, and yet at the same time seems strangely familiar; connecting to your soul, like that is where it has always belonged. Gold has well and truly been struck.
The QUIET PAWS interview...
October 2006 - Press Interview, MELBOURNE
"NEW STAR TAKES TO THE ROAD"
Mitchell headed to London in 1998 and, while working as a kitchen hand, took advantage of a spare room at a Camden pub to launch a songwriter showcase night named Acoustic Trip.
It proved so popular it became a two-nights-a-week venture and led to Mitchell being spotted by Jon Bailey, the sound engineer on Coldplay's last 2 albums.
Bailey helped Mitchell produce his music while he also made other valuable contacts, including Robbie Wiliams keyboardist Claire Worrall.
Mitchell returned to Australia and released a handful of copies of his self-produced CD which was picked up by MGM distribution and released in April.
"The songs are about love and relationships, but there's also a recurring theme about being positive and accepting," Mitchell said.
He's received good responses to his CD, including praising reviews from European websites and a Belgium radio station requesting a copy.
But most pleasing was the recent letter that came in the mail.
"I receved my first cheque from MGM and that was probably one of the better moments," Mitchell said.
His European tour winds up on October 9 in Paris, after which he will return to Melbourne.
Manningham Leader
Mitchell headed to London in 1998 and, while working as a kitchen hand, took advantage of a spare room at a Camden pub to launch a songwriter showcase night named Acoustic Trip.It proved so popular it became a two-nights-a-week venture and led to Mitchell being spotted by Jon Bailey, the sound engineer on Coldplay's last 2 albums.
Bailey helped Mitchell produce his music while he also made other valuable contacts, including Robbie Wiliams keyboardist Claire Worrall.
Mitchell returned to Australia and released a handful of copies of his self-produced CD which was picked up by MGM distribution and released in April.
"The songs are about love and relationships, but there's also a recurring theme about being positive and accepting," Mitchell said.
He's received good responses to his CD, including praising reviews from European websites and a Belgium radio station requesting a copy.
But most pleasing was the recent letter that came in the mail.
"I receved my first cheque from MGM and that was probably one of the better moments," Mitchell said.
His European tour winds up on October 9 in Paris, after which he will return to Melbourne.
Manningham Leader
September 2006 - Press Interview, MELBOURNE
"Dream Life Not A Bit Twee"Ben Mitchell knows it sounds twee -
but he really is living the dream.
The ex-Ringwood resident will tour Europe this month to promote his new CD, The Stars Can See, before representing Australia at the Popkomm Festival in Berlin this month.
The singer and songwriter has come a long way from his early bands like 401 Raiders, named after a portable at Ringwood Secondary College.
His first step came as a 24 year-old when he bought a one-way ticket to England to prove what he was made of and stayed there for six years.
"I started writing songs when I was 16 years old and I just knew I wanted music to be my life," Mitchell said.
"In Camden I washed dishes and slept on floors, but you slowly get known. It all grew from there."
Mitchell opened his own acoustic music night in London, helping him attract Coldplay's engineer, Jon Bailey, and Robbie Williams' keyboard player, Claire Worrall, to play on his new album.
Getting a record label is the next stage, so I can distribute my music across Europe and America and get myself known," he said.
"Australian musicians are quite aspirant. We're removed from class struggles (a bit) here, so we believe we can do anything."
Mitchell will play shows in Melbourne this month.
For more information go to http://www.ben-mitchell.com/. The Stars Can See is available at JB Hi-Fi in Eastland.
Maroondah Leader
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)
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)
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