Late into the songwriting business Dave Cheetham has certainly made up for lost time. His heartfelt lyrics reflect every long year of waiting, listening and learning, and the carefully crafted words take the listener on an intensely personal journey through sunny ups and gritty downs of every day life. With lyrically heavyweights like Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and The Barenaked Ladies highlighted as early influences, it should come as no surprise that Dave's songs bear all the hallmarks of the lyrical storyteller.The title track of his debut album 'Fly' is a case in point. This down-to-earth reflection on how life's twists and turns can take a heavy toll on each and every one of us is a sorrowful joy to explore.The closing track of the same album, 'The high Water Line' is a true lyrical tour-de-force. Join Dave on the beach as he studies the prints and tracks of everyday life in the sand. Close your eyes and you'll picture them all, as you nod and smile time after time in recognition.But it's not all tears and misery. Amongst Dave's best tracks are the upbeat and optimistic classics 'Beautiful Day' and 'Tell Me With Your Kiss' along with the gothic foot tapper 'Judgement Day'.If this is the first album from Dave Cheetham, we're more than excited to see what he comes up with in his second LP. Let's just hope we don't have to wait quite as long.