Sarah MacDougall ACROSS THE ANTLANTIC (Copperspine Records). Release Date: 25 January 2010.

MacDougall is a Swedish-born alt country/indie folk singer/songwriter based in Canada. This album is her first official release and has been produced and engineered by her. “I wanted to write an album that sticks in your head and grabs a hold of your heart” says MacDougall. “And I also wanted to prove myself as a producer and audio-engineer, because I am incredibly passionate about sound!”

Well, congratulations Sarah, you’ve nailed it! Listen to the firt track ‘Ballad Of Sherri’ and you will see exactly what this lady is on about. It opens sounding like something coming out of an old valve radio, then about the middle-eight it opens out in modern audio style. It’s upbeat with a monster melody, a great vocal quality, and dare I say it, a sense of fun. Glorious! ‘Ramblin’ is contemplative, gently rolling love song with country guitar wailing away in the background, and an expressive vocal up-front. There’s a bar-room vibe on ‘Cry Wolf’ which bounds along in true country style. ‘Across The Atlantic’ goes reflective and emo with perhaps the most moving vibe on the record. Beautiful. ‘Hundred Dollar Bills’ has a retro feel that mixes dark and light perfectly. ‘Biggest Mistake’ has a pronounced beat - a real foot-tapper. ‘I’ve Got Sorrow’ moves at glacial pace with gorgeous multi-layered vocals, while ‘Crow’s Lament’ has a distinctly retro, continental feel. Finally, ‘Goodbye Julie’ completes the album on a sad and thoughtful note, and is a standout here.

4/5