ALBUM REVIEW: Our Man in the Field Looks to Complex Topics on ‘Gold on the Horizon’

With Gold on the Horizon, Alex Ellis, a.k.a. Our Man in the Field, builds on the lyrical proficiency and vocal depth displayed on his 2020 debut, The Company of Strangers. Frequently addressing the prerequisite subjects of love and heartache, Ellis also comments on more complex themes, such as the existence (or nonexistence) of God and the role of choice in human affairs. The result is a project that brims with longing and existential inquiry.

The opening beat and timbre of “Feel Good” recall Leonard Cohen’s “The Future.” Instead of Cohen’s solemn baritone, however, we encounter Ellis’s fluid tenor. And rather than depicting the demoralization of the world, Ellis offers a diaristic take on addiction and the perils of hanging out with people your mother would never approve of. Layered backup vocals — reminiscent of Carolyn Dennis, Helena Springs, and Regina Havis on Bob Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody” — are particularly stirring, infusing the track with palpable energy.

Alex Ellis / Our Man In The Field (photo by Tom Oxley)

Following “Feel Good,” Ellis settles into a more laid back and folk-oriented block of songs. “Come Back to Me” speaks of a transient relationship (“you were never mine to keep”), Ellis’ voice gossamer, his guitar-picking engaging. His rangy delivery on “L’Etranger” brings to mind recent David Gray. Ellis dismisses the notion of an interventionist higher power as well as idealism re: meeting a soulmate (“there’s nothing up there looking down on me,” “there’s no one out there waiting for me”), at the same time skillfully avoiding nihilism (“I’ll put my faith in hope because hope is all I need”). The song underscores that being agnostic or atheistic does not preclude a capacity for positive thinking.

Elaborating on the secularism of “L’Etranger,” Ellis offers “Silver Linings” to eschew reflex optimism and hand-me-down rituals (“keep all of your silver linings / they don’t work on me,” “you can keep your holy water / does nothing for me”). “Glad to See You,” on the other hand, portrays a night spent at home, Ellis’s relatively relaxed voice draped over strummed acoustics, synthy flourishes, and straightforward drums.

With “How Long,” Ellis inches toward a more robust soundscape a la “Feel Good.” “I’d walk a thousand miles in any man’s shoes / if they walked me back to you,” he coos, offering one of his most direct yet cogent declarations. On closer “Long Forgotten,” he portrays an outsider, someone fleeing himself, others, and his past (“wonder what I’m going to do / my head is weary my feet are sore / I don’t want to run no more”). His vocal is crisp yet mercurial, accented by a dreamy piano part and droney synths.

Producer Tucker Martine offers even-handed guidance, facilitating mixes that unobtrusively complement Ellis. In this way, the UK-born singer-songwriter’s nuanced vocal is given space to unfurl and resonate. Ditto his cross of romanticism and no-nonsense philosophy. Gold on the Horizon is mellow but with a rebellious edge. Ellis comes across as humble, unassuming, but also a curious traveler, a troubadour following the major questions wherever they lead.

Our Man in the Field’s Gold on the Horizon is out Nov. 3.