James Otto carries the music with words

Nick Hilbourn, Morning News
Published: June 6, 2008

James Otto is out to prove a story is not all in what you say, but also how you say it.
His sound on “Sunset Man” finds little changed in presentation from his previous release “Days of Our Lives,” except the level of production, as he teamed up alongside fellow MuzikMafia member John Rich. Rich added little to Otto’s style, but much to everything else.

Packed full of musical ‘stuff’
The album as a whole is not thunderous, neither is it swelling with sappy strings and climatic builds, yet it is packed full of musical “stuff.” That “stuff” is legions of pianos, organs, guitars, organs, fiddles and quirky electronic noises, and it turns a country singer with a tinge of classic rock and soul in him into a stadium rock balladeer.
The change isn’t a bad thing. After all, Otto, standing 6 feet, 5 inches, is the perfect mold for it.

Yarnspinner extraordinaire
Front and central is the album’s opening track, “Ain’t Gonna Stop.” The heavy guitar, thunderous drums and quirky video game noises create a triumphant sound, and Otto carries that feel throughout the entire song.
No other track carries the energy of this one. The listener will have to use his or her own tastes and expectations to decide whether that’s a good or a bad thing.
Many of the songs are medium tempo ballads with catchy licks.
Otto has a tendency for lengthy choruses but good images. The first song that comes to mind is the title track “Sunset Man.” It is an absolutely beautiful song, opening with an electric organ that might strike nostalgia within the listener a la Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” but quickly juxtaposes that sound with the crescendo of piano keys and fiddle. Besides the organ, there’s no heavy electric presence. A slide guitar and strings form the foundation of the song, but Otto carries the tune to completion with his lyrics.
“Sunset Man” is not only good musically, but lyrically fantastic. Otto shines as a storyteller on this song.

The three best songs on the album
The best tracks are, in fact, the ones where Otto carries the music with his story, both in substance and presentation.
“Damn Right” is yet another song, which displays Otto’s esteemed presentation skills. It’s fine country music as well, what with the foreboding B3 organ in the background adding a layer trembling emotion to the track. Otto uses the music to his advantage telling the story of a heartbroken lover on the verge of going over the edge.
It’s interesting that “Sunset Man” and “Damn Right” carry the most organic feel on the entire album and also happen to feature Otto on acoustic guitar. It seems to say a lot about the effect an artist’s presence can have on a song.
Those two songs, along with “Ain’t Gonna Stop,” are the strongest on the album. The others follow close behind, but none are able to equal the intensity of those three songs.

Heartwarmers and hang-ups
“Where Angels Hang Around” is a heartwarming ballad about Otto’s family and the addition of a mandolin creates a warm and tender sound. Perhaps it’s the subject matter, but Otto is able to channel the music through himself, adding his vocals not so much as an aegis over the music, but rather as another instrument. The result is a touching song with music that feels earthy and vibrant.
One song that is so deplorable that it should be stricken from the history of human memory is “Drink & Dial.” Otto attempts to fashion a catch phrase to music a la “Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy,” except putting catch phrases to music is kistchy, and “Drink & Dial” is a dumb catchphrase.
The music isn’t bad, but the lyrics are atrocious and out of place compared with the other songs on the album.
Songs such as “Just Got Started Lovin’ You,” “You Don’t Act Like My Woman” and “For You” are so-so. There’s nothing original about the lyrics, and the music is typical country music fare.

Good job, Otto
“When A Woman’s Not Watching” and “The Man That I Am” are invigorating tunes. Wherever the album might fall short of a listener’s expectations, these tracks seem to serve as boosts. 
“The Man That I Am” is simply a fine country song. The lyrics weren’t written by Otto, but he carries them with an intensity that ends the album with an attitude-soaked ballad that draws the listener in before fading away and leaving them wanting more.
Overall, someone should pat James Otto on the back. “Sunset Man” is an impressive achievement. Although John Rich has surely made Otto radio friendly on some tracks, the singer-songwriter has enough deep grit to have retained his basic talent as a storyteller throughout the album.