Settler
Need To Know, 2021
8/10
A Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Malcolm MacWatt creates a very distinct version of Americana, and he’s got several guest vocalists to help highlight his Scottish balladry and Appalachian influences that thematically surrounds loss, injustice and taxing journeys.
“Avalanche And Landslide” starts the listen with MacWatt’s expressive singing alongside vocals from Jaimee Harris, as the acoustic climate emits much rural beauty, and “Letter From San Francisco” follows with warm strings and subtle percussion, where MacWatt’s poetic singing highlights the genuine delivery.
Elsewhere, “My Bonny Boys Have Gone” recruits Gretchen Peters for the pretty, bare landscape of gentle banjo and emotive storytelling, while “The Miller’s Daughter” features Eliza Carthy for a warm, folk influenced album highlight that’s textured with a very mature, timeless appeal. “John Rae’s Welcome Home” then takes help from Kris Drever on electric guitar for the dreamy, eloquent execution that’s quite absorbing.
Further still, “Banjo Lullaby” does indeed showcase sublime banjo playing amid MacWatt’s vivid wordplay, and “North Atlantic Summer” continues with cautious strumming and a breezy demeanor that illustrates MacWatt’s many talents.
A listen that’s certainly indebted to his home country, MacWatt also sounds right at home in the current Americana scene on this side of the Atlantic, and the contributions from Harris, Laura Cantrell, Peters, Carthy and Drever add their unique skill set to this very well thought out and creative body of work.
Travels well with: Nathan Bell- Red, White, And American Blues; I See Hawks In L.A.- On Our Way