Misty Eye, Sony ***

It seems so long ago that a Twilight-lite teenager from Blackpool exited the 2010 season finale of The X Factor. You could tell Aiden Grimshaw wasn't going to go the televised distance, too much in thrall was he to goth culture and serious singer-songwriters. And so, behold Grimshaw's debut album, Misty Eye, which might actually have a fighting chance. While there are downsides (an overall generic feel), there are upsides too (it's nicely soundscaped by Jarrad Rogers, who has worked with the likes of Lana Del Rey). While there are things that make you smile for the wrong reasons (a raft of po-faced lyrics), Grimshaw doesn't always mess it up (This Island, Poacher's Timing, Breathe Me). Ordinarily, such an average outing would garner two stars, but Grimshaw gets an extra one for following his heart and not his head. aidengrimshaw.com

Download tracks:Hold On, Poacher's Timing