The Lost and FoundCRC Records *

Named after the ancient north African civilisation that was destroyed by the Romans, Sligo's Carthage Carroll may have set himself up for a fall from the outset. It wasn't too far of a drop, though: The Lost and Foundsees musical clichés collide at every opportunity, whether Journey- style power ballads (Sunset Rise), hair metal pastiche (Stillborn) or wearisome Picture House-esque pop (Busy Little Bee). What's more, Carroll's vocals are neither powerful nor distinctive enough to carry a tune, and there's a severe lack of musical and lyrical innovation on offer, with most tracks following a well-trodden and irritatingly predictable blueprint. These amateur- sounding songs need to gleam more brightly and ping with a sharper focus if they've any hope of conquering territory further than the corner of their local pub. See carthagecarroll.com