Adam Masterson - 'One Tale Too Many' (Gravity/BMG) Released 09/06/03

At 22 years old, you wouldn't expect an artist like Adam Masterson to come out with such a mature sounding album as this, his debut. When his teenage friends were enjoying the Britpop scene, he was discovering the classics of Dylan, Young and Springsteen. After six years of writing songs and recording demos, he has found a home at Nick Stewart's (the man who signed U2) Gravity label. The influences listed in the press release may be American, but there is a jazzy, folksy, Celtic flavour to a lot of the songs here that bring to mind Van Morrison or the Waterboys.

Of the eight tracks on offer here, at least half offer a glimpse of Masterson's potential. He definitely has talent, and at times his wordy storytelling comes across a bit Neil Diamond, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The epic 'Sarah Queen of England' is a highlight, and it starts a run of songs in the middle of the track listing that really stand out - 'Same Sad Story' has US radio hit struck through it in bold. However, a lot of the tracks seem drawn out and slightly forgettable. A promising if flawed debut from a young artist that can only grow stronger.