Monsters is the work of Roscommon native Kevin Connolly. ‘The Way’ starts as a cowboy and western romp, eases into indie folk-pop, then slips into slo-mo rock ballad mode. And then goes all ‘rawhide’ again. Nina Hynes duets on the charmingly introspective ‘Year Of The Horse’. ‘Heads’ has a shiny, happy melody and lyrics that mention cannibalism. Connolly beats himself up in ‘The Long Way Down’, while ‘Scab’ is brimful of disaffected nihilism. ‘The Sofa King’ is a mess of trite lyrics that rhyme, but with the Lennonesque ‘Rearrange’ he ends on a glimmer of hope.
Monsters is riddled with Connolly’s twisted humour and musical adventurism, a must for fans of uneasy listening.

KEY TRACK: ‘YEAR OF THE HORSE’