W hen singer-songwriter Ben Howard appeared on the scene a little over a decade ago, scoring a top 10 hit with his debut album Every Kingdom, his music felt special because it had an uncanny ability to transport those who listened directly back to the greatest summer they’d ever had. His idiosyncratic “pick and go” acoustic style and percussive lap tapping techniques intrigued general listeners and guitarists alike, and set him apart from the main crop of singalong strummers.
Two Brit Award wins in 2012 made him a household name, and his homespun brand of beachy fireside folk pulled whopping festival crowds around the globe. But, never entirely at ease with his burgeoning pop star status – let alone the prospect of being forever typecast as Devon’s answer to Jack Johnson
