OUR MAN IN THE FIELD
HOW LONG
new single
out now
(In The Field Recordings)
digital services | lyric video
included on
GOLD ON THE HORIZON
new album
out 24.11.23 (LP & CD) | 03.11.23 (digital)
‘How Long’ is the second single to be released from ‘Gold On The Horizon’, the forthcoming new album by Our Man In The Field aka singer/songwriter and actor Alex Ellis, who leads a crack team of musicians plying a winning combination of indie-folk and Americana with significant soulful country vibes that nods to the likes of Ray LaMontagne, Damien Rice, Wilco, Ryan Adams and Lambchop. The new single finds Ellis lamenting the lack of decorum or respect in the media, politics and in public life, of which he states: “I’m more or less a glass half full kind of person, so I usually feel content that however bad things get or however far away from my preferred position society moves, it’ll pass and at some point we’ll move back towards the middle and it’ll get easier. However, it seems like we’ve been waiting a long time for that now.”
Out in November, ‘Gold On The Horizon’ has been produced by Tucker Martine (The National, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Roseanne Cash) and was recorded in Portland, Oregon. Its twelve songs are a collection of life observations and the urge to explore their universal meanings via Ellis’ fly-on-the-wall alter-persona. He explains: “I think of Our Man In The Field as more of a character and not really even me. I don’t necessarily want the listener to think about the songs as being mine or about me, it’s more about the story and the characters in them. They’re always about real people and hopefully that makes them relatable.”
OMITF issued a well received debut album, ‘The Company Of Strangers’, in 2020 and wowed audiences promoting it when guesting for the likes of The Delines and touring in their own right. ‘Gold On The Horizon’ sees them move up a level with songs that range from raw and barren in ‘Come Back To Me’, which showcases Ellis’ trademark soulful vocal harmonies via a sparse arrangement of acoustic guitar and pedal steel, to the spacious mirror ball slow-dance of ‘Go Easy’, to the full desert noir feel of horns, baritone guitar and backing harmonies running through album opener ‘Feel Good’. It also includes the bright, upbeat teaser single ‘Last Dance’ [LISTEN], which recalls Hiss Golden Messenger (who recently had an album mixed by Martine) and is embellished with a country fiddle melody and oscillating synth line.
OUR MAN IN THE FIELD | Alex Ellis 2023 photo
A London launch event for ‘Gold On The Horizon’ at The Slaughtered Lamb on 25th November has sold out and a second set added. Shows are at 6.30pm and 9pm.
OMITF will also be touring to promote the album, with other current dates and confirmed post-release shows as follows:
14.10.23 MALMESBURY The Kings Arms
21.10.23 NEWBALD Village Hall
11.11.23 HOLLYCOMBE Hollycombe Home Farm
08.12.23 GREAT EASTON Village Hall
11.02.24 SHEFFIELD Greystones
12.02.24 BIRMINGHAM Kitchen Garden Cafe
13.02.24 OXFORD The Jericho
15.02.24 MANCHESTER Gullivers
16.02.24 GLASGOW Glad Cafe
17.02.24 NEWCASTLE Cluny
18.02.24 SALTBURN Theatre
19.02.24 HEBDEN BRIDGE Trades Club
Our Man In The Field was the result of an epiphany. In 2014, Ellis found himself in hospital under observation for intense abdominal pains. Worryingly, a tumour was discovered, a similar growth having accounted for his father’s death in his 40s. As Ellis awaited treatment, he reflected on his dad’s life – hard work in a job he didn’t like and unable to enjoy the fruits of his labour – and realised he needed to make some changes to avoid the same fate.
Until then, Ellis had been an actor, with TV ads and other gigs keeping him afloat until the next audition, but nothing to catapult him to fame. Having just auditioned for one especially denigrating role, his health scare begged the question: ‘What do I want to do?’ And, what Ellis thought of while bored and anxious in his hospital bed wasn’t acting, but playing his guitar and the freedom and expression that songwriting offered. Upon his discharge and subsequent recovery, he began writing and creating his aesthetic and sonic identity.
Ellis had actually written his first songs as a football mad teen growing up in the north-east, but never took music seriously until moving to London and recording a few efforts that a friend sent to Tom Robinson, who played them on his BBC 6 Music show. This led to Ellis’ first live outings, followed by a return to the studio to make what became ‘The Company Of Strangers’.
OUR MAN IN THE FIELD | Gold On The Horizon album cover
GOLD ON THE HORIZON
TRACKLISTING
1 Feel Good
2 Come Back To Me
3 L’Etranger
4 Silver Linings
5 Great White Hope
6 Go Easy
7 Glad To See You
8 Last Dance
9 How Long
10 The Road Interlude
11 Long Forgotten
12 The Road
“We were lucky enough to tour with Our Man In The Field, and all of us in The Delines became huge fans. Their new album is the best thing they’ve done so far….and that’s saying something. It’s currently on repeat in our van and is a true beauty of a record.”
Willy Vlautin – The Delines
OUR MAN IN THE FIELD | Alex Ellis 2023 photo