The newly released single by Our Man in the Field (Alexander Ellis) has proven to be an underground love of the indie community. It is utterly deep, and when you listen to it the first time it seems like a letter with a chorus and verses. However, when you recognize the lyrics the deep thoughts really touch a music lover’s weak spot.

Alexander Ellis created the name Our Man in the Field in London. Inspired by the North East Coast, Ellis wrote songs mainly about love and the commotion that goes on in the streets of London. His first recording posted on SoundCloud was two years ago, and since then he has been followed by over 1,000 people. “My Confidante” has been listened to over 200 times, with 14 likes and increasing. “My Confidante” was made specifically to come out on Valentine’s Day, being a love song.

Although this song is as heavenly as it is deep, it does seem like the lyrics are scattered and the chorus needs to be fished out of the song. It’s a beautiful love story of emotion once understood. It’s aura makes it almost impossible not to listen to it again. Also, what’s a deep song like this supposed to sound like without an authentic accent behind it?

The lyrics of “My Confidante,” like I had said, are quite deep. Not in the sense of having to look them up in the dictionary, but to a point that I feel as if I need to annotate them to understand the story of what Ellis is truly trying to say. This can be a bad thing, because honestly who wants to think about if the lyrics make sense or not when someone is just trying to relax like the song should allow. However, when understood, the song is truly just a man expressing his feelings to his love.

After looking up the lyrics, Ellis’s talent in writing is truly evident.  For example, when the wind knocks me off of my feet/ and I call out in my sleep is such a symbolic line of a feeling anyone can embrace when falling in love. His ability to spill out his emotions and touch others with it is truly amazing. This song definitely needs to be listened to a couple times to be more understood, but honestly the song is worth listening to.

Besides the lyrics, Ellis’s voice easily works with the guitar chords and strings. Starting with a few simply plucked notes and a riff on a single guitar, it seems to pull you in as the melody develops and changes throughout the song. With the addition of a couple other simple instruments including a drum, a beat is established, which was dearly needed in the first minute after the first verse to give the song a beat to tap to. These simple instruments help to focus on the beautiful singing, and it also helps to develop the song as it progresses.

Like an underground Ed Sheeran, Ellis’s authentic accent, chords evident instruments, and overall melody of the entire song contribute to it’s simple beauty. Although the lyrics are complex, and the chorus couldn’t be told different from the verses before the first couple rounds of listening, this song seems to always deserve one more listen. And once you understand the lyrics and take the time to really break it down, it is truly a beautiful and simple work. Give this song time. and it can touch anyone.

You can find all of Our Man in the Field’s music, including “My Confidante,” on his SoundCloud page and on his website www.omitf.com.

by RACHEL MARQUARDT