Nine Lives Self Possessed Records ***

For a musician with ambition to burn – and the smarts and wherewithal to fan the flames – it must be a tad tiresome to be constantly bracketed by music critics as, simply a singer- songwriter. Nick Kelly (once of Irish 1990s contenders The Fat Lady Sings) has attempted to remove himself from such perceptions, most recently with this little- disguised alter-ego, which over a period of nine months up until last May featured new material introduced in a series of gigs at Dublin's Whelan's. The end result is a live album that highlights Kelly's valid concerns while simultaneously displaying his strengths as, yes, a singer and songwriter. In other words, irrespective of how we may want to describe him, or whatever terms of reference he wants to wrap around himself, Kelly remains a creative type who seems incapable of constructing a duff concept, musical or otherwise. See alienvoy.com

Download tracks: Everything's Wrong, Kingfisher Blue