Lee Mitchell is a Kent-based singer songwriter and Beneath A Moon Of Bone is his debut album. Lee has composed, performed and produced all the tracks here and therein lies the problem I think. Don't get me wrong, it's not that the album is not good, because it is, it's just that it SOUNDS like a self-produced singer/songwriter album.

Things kick off really well with the title track - a nice, jazz influenced song with tinkles of piano and some outstanding acoustic guitar picking. Think Ezio and you're halfway there. The second track, For Magdalen, is also very good with nice guitar and a languid, Ralph McTellesque vocal delivery.

It's the next eight tracks that move the album into 'Curate's Egg' territory, and this is where an independent producer would have made all the difference. The songs are interesting with both thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics, tied together with excellent guitar work, but you just feel there should be a little more oomph in there, with maybe backing singers, a good double bass player and even a snatch of violin here and there - together with having some of the stranger things removed (such as odd three-beat blasts of bongo drums appearing for no reason!)

Generally I am a very good listener, but towards the end of the album I just found my attention wandering from time to time - and it should not have, as the standard of songwriting is very good.

Overall, the album can be recommended to all you singer/songwriter fans out there - I just felt it could have been so much better with a little bit of outside help.

***½

Review by Alan Jones

***** Out of this world | **** Pretty damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly