This is the first album from the West Sussex songsmith, following in the footsteps of his impressive debut 'mini-CD' "Maplewood".

The album is a collection of 11 ballads ranging from the sombre to the stomping, which sticks to the typical album formula of 'good start, good finish, with something else in the middle' (i.e. full of boring, dejected, 'meaningful' songs).

OK, that may be a bit harsh, but generally I found the middle to be mournful and sentimental which is fine (see Leonard Cohen), but it has a repetitiveness that really got under my skin. That said, as a rule if I like at least 3 of the songs on the first listening I rate it as a good album, and having enjoyed 5, this has to be described as impressive, especially so as a debut album.

"Here Be Monsters" begins with the simple, but tuneful "Something In My Eye" and continues well with the schizo "God Protect Your Soul", which switches between the punchy and twinkly with ease. After the next song "She Fell Into My Arms", a Seahorses-esque, melodic ballad, it falls into a spiral of depression and self-pity punctuated by background 'noise'. Too much "Revolver".

The saving grace comes through "Birds Fly Backwards" and "Shanghai", the latter being an upbeat stormer of a song. The whole impression of "Here Be Monsters" is of two distinct albums in one. One of which I would never, ever, buy and the other something which would happily sit in my record collection.