Album Notes

Laced with infectious hooks, overtones of electronica, bluegrass and funk, the music of Cincinnati singer/songwriter Paul Otten is fresh, inventive and undeniably catchy. Steeped in the classic sounds of The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" era, Sting, Billy Joel and Squeeze, his blend of piano-pop and acoustic guitar-rock also cultivates a shared aesthetic with current creators Coldplay, Ben Folds, David Gray and Keane.

The December 2004 release of Otten's debut solo effort, "Bad Parade" contains 11 piano and guitar-driven pop song narratives produced by Brian Lovely (Adrian Belew, Cincinnati Enquirer 2003 Producer of the Year) at his Beat Parlor recording studio. Since the release of his album, Otten has received steady airplay, sold out shows in his hometown, and had two of his songs finish as top-5 finalists in VH1's "Song of the Year" contest.

Otten has been writing and performing music since the age of 17, continually developing a style seasoned and tempered with his various musical muses. Otten released two albums in the mid-nineties with former band Porterhouse, and went on to team up with brother/drummer Brian Otten to create his current project. Otten's combination of catchy pop/rock songs and high-energy live performances has earned him a fan base that grows with every show.

From start to finish, Paul Otten's debut album is an ear-pleasing journey of his many influences. It begins with the piano-pop, melody-drenched opening track "Leave it Alone," and continues on to the funky Steely Dan-meets-Squeeze track "Rudy," the bluegrass-electronica blend "Find Myself," the acoustic guitar-driven, Sting-flavored "Drown Me," and ends with the jazzy Ben Folds and Paul McCartney overtones of "Turn Another Page." In all of his songs, Paul takes a serious, sometimes humorous, and unique look at life from his perspective, all the while packaging it in piano-and guitar-driven pop/rock at its best.

The heart of Paul Otten's new album, "Bad Parade," pulses with pure pop; tinges of electronica, bluegrass and funk make the record as engagingly unpredictable as it is catchy.
(Cincinnati Enquirer)

...Warm, lush...Otten is a clever writer, often couching some biting lyrics in his breezy pop melodies...friendly pleading vocals and catchy piano work are well captured on this 11-cut release.
(Cincinnati Post)

Paul Otten's latest release, "Bad Parade," is a refreshing blend of classic harmonies and catchy melodies that are the foundation of a good pop album...this eclectic cornucopia of sounds will appeal to the musically adventurous and open-minded.
(Only Local Music Magazine)

...Mature, accomplished Pop/Rock that occasionally sounds like Steely Dan covering Squeeze.
(Cincinnati CityBeat)