Our Man in the Field first crossed my path in the early part of lockdown when appearing in one of the Green Note's twice weekly writer-in-the round streams. How could you forget a name like that? Or perhaps one of the first rules of promotion. You tend to get a feel for an artist in these streams without fully grasping the mettle of what they can do in full recorded flow. A few months later and Our Man in the Field is the proud owner of a full length debut record, primed for a wholesome share with listeners likely to reside in refined markets. THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS gently unwraps from its packaging as a mellow waft of homespun Americana fuelled by a duel combo of hazy vocals and haunting pedal steel.
The eleven tracks, meticulously curated by Alexander Ellis - Our Man in the Field in a more formal setting, gracefully paint a landscape for consumption in life's quieter moments where you're quite happy to fall into a transfixed zone. Don't expect this album to race through the gears, it quickly finds 2nd and decides that's the place it's largely going to stay. If you are feeling a little tired of Covid cliches, you may want to steer clear of the track 'It is What it is', but on the other hand, don't dismiss it from the title as it's one of the album's standout tracks. Also to give Ellis a break, its origins likely date back a long time before the events of 2020 took stranglehold.
One name jumping out from those assisting Ellis is legendary pedal steel player Henry Senior Jr, the mastermind of the ironing board of love. If you've been there, you will know. Apart from being framed for a defined audience likely to be left of the core on many fronts, it is perhaps the twang which gives the music a necessary nudge and affords a space for Ellis to plant the seeds of a wholly introverted style. One that will resonate deeply with listeners. Our Man in the field has unleashed a little grower in THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS. Some will instantly shout from the rooftops, others will get there in their own good time.