Eugene McGuinness - 'Monsters Under The Bed'

A solo artist playing under his own name is running a risk of being lost in a crowded arena at present, but no such fears for Eugene McGuinness, who's had more than his fair share of critical backslapping even before his debut release. And rightly so. McGuinness has the razor-sharp kitchen-sink observation of Jamie T, the peppiness of Jack Penate and the madcap instrumentation (carousel and xylophone, anyone?) of a true English eccentric. Englishness permeates his lyrics too, namechecking "endless English rain" and mindless daytime TV on 'Monsters Under The Bed', and telling a cautionary tale of one of Liverpool's less salubrious thoroughfares on the strangely disconcerting b-side 'Myrtle Parade'. Highly likeable and with more depth than his contemporaries, McGuinness could be 2007's surprise package.

Released 02/07/07 on Double Six Records