Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

The outsider, the recluse from the world, of doing things in the perceived normal way or the genius native who sees life for what it truly can be, extraordinary, uncommon and peculiar, out in the open and not closeted away in a studio, forever thinking of the next album, always in demand by the managers and the representatives rather than the true believers, those that take their time out to see you perform, even a boardwalk, up to your neck in songs that might never reach the world but for a brief moment thrill the ears of those walking by.

Ben Bostick’s self titled debut album is one that radiates all sorts of good will, not just because inside every song is a masterpiece waiting to break out and be treated like beautiful, sublime poetry but because it also has the ability, that rare quality to make you feel jealous, that it makes you want to have written so special as any of the songs on the album, a genuine heartfelt plea in the form of acknowledging a friend’s passing, or owning up to the nickname given you because the reason thrills you; a set of songs can capture the emotion but it takes an album such as this to make you feel the instinct, make you adore each passing moment.

To not fit in was always considered a minus, a sense of poor direction in life, it was always there on the report cards on anybody who had a passing glimpse of being different, of being their own person and not following the trend or being stuck with a label afforded everyone else; it is in this thinking that Ben Bostick excels, the sound of a Country vibe but not truly appearing to be placed in any specific box of any subsection.

This is a man with his own ideas and is willing and able to follow them through and in songs such as Coast of Mexico, the exceptional Paper Football, the fantastic and humour filled observation of The Juggler, the poignant Supposed To and I Should Have Been Her Man, Ben Bostick truly shines and stands out as an individual with class, spirit and diversity; Paper Football especially is one of greatness, of harrowing beauty and one that if it doesn’t make you sit back and reminisce of old friends then there is truly no hope left for you.

This eponymous album is so well written that it is to look into the heart of the divine, a true great.

Ian D. Hall