Sunset Man

Country singer James Otto has said that making an album is very much "like putting together a good live show, pacing the set and navigating all the ups and downs on that rollercoaster of emotion." If you listen to Otto's new album, Sunset Man, you can really hear those emotional ups and downs from song to song. Otto, who has a passion for soul music, and grew up listening to pop, rock and country, starts things off with a strong guitar riff on the country-rock song, "Ain't Gonna Stop," and closes the CD with the softer, more soulful "Man That I Am." The second track, "Just Got Started Lovin' You," also shows Otto's love for soul music and his vocal range, as he lowers his voice and climbs higher as he progresses in singing some of the lyrics. John Rich, of Big and Rich, has called Otto, "The Biggest Voice in Country Music," a point well-illustrated by Otto's belting on "Damn Right." Otto also wrote 9 of the 11 songs on Sunset Man, showing his talent as a songwriter and as a singer and musician.