Definite Grower
Everytime I pick up an album, and I find a young, inspirational, unique young lady on the front cover, I have to sigh. Here we go again. The list of good female singer songwriters out at the moment is longer than my arm and when I hear of their release, I am overwhelmed by the comparison to the coach at school picking his starting eleven from twelve equally talented players. Amy MacDonald has an old voice overpowering her young shoulders. Yet fortunately, it appears to have served her well.
At first, I don't blame you for despising it, or thinking MacDonald is the same as "that Katie bird", but three listens in and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. I began to appreciate that although I was not a massive first time fan, many home-owners or pension builders would be. She's going to attract the same audiences as Joss Stone, James Blunt or Elton John- no doubt why the Sir himself has allegedly asked her to be a support act for his next tour. Throughout- the mocking of modern 'celebrity' culture is pretty humorous, penning a couple of songs on rehab regular Pete Doherty and footballers wives.
First single "Mr Rock and Roll" opens up the album, providing a real native, country folk catchy tune. Her Celtic routes are transparent throughout the debut, and the young Glaswegian gets to show off her vocal talent in more down tempo tunes "Footballer's Wife" and "A Wish For Something More". The album is overall a pretty good debut, revealing the wonders of a 19year old through her awe of Pete Doherty and her apparent heartbreak of the Jam of today- the Libertines in festival grabbing track "Let's Start A Band". But, you have to ask yourself at times- are these tracks really as deep and as dark as we have strung them out to be? Did MacDonald really mean what we have un-earthed in that passage or has coincidence played its part?
It's difficult to differentiate between what the young artist is saying and what she means. The continuing theme throughout the album is no doubt the understanding of the youth today, and the struggles of everyday issues in our tabloid driven society, yet it's quite apparent from a young age in this album, that MacDonald cannot possibly be aiming her market at those she is addressing. Joss Stone is criticised heavily on a regular basis for being unable to attract her peers and MacDonald will feel the same brunt- yet perhaps worse as Stone's quirky delivery and Cornwall like personality carries her through the best part.
I didn't think it was bad at all, I quite enjoyed myself and the tunes are catchy enough. She's like that twelfth player, who never really gets into the starting line up for one reason or another- but manages to be ever present and occasional finds him of herself scoring that essential extra time winner. A definite grower.