Scottish Pop Rocker Amy MacDonald Delivers on New Single, Third Album Due June 11th

My favorite Scottish pop/rocker is BACK with a brand new single and I couldn't be more excited!  Last time we heard from 24 year old Amy MacDonald from Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland was back in 2010 when she released her sophomore album, A Curious Thing.  Now, MacDonald, one of Europe's biggest selling singer/songwriters is ready to dazzle the world with her insane guitar skills, powerful songwriting and rich, character-filled vocals.  On June 11th, MacDonald will release both her brand new album, Life in a Beautiful Light, as well as lead single, "Slow It Down."  Usually singles are released pretty far in advance of an album, especially in the UK no? Whatever - bring it on! I love everything about Amy MacDonald!

"Slow It Down" is the perfect nice kick off single for the new album, sounding more like her debut than any of the singles from A Curious Thing.  While I happened to love the majority of her last album, it did seem a bit heavy on the production side.  Where as her first album, 2007's This Is The Life felt more like guitar-driven folk pop, A Curious Thing went harder and faster with more electro rock influences and heavy, sometimes cluttered-sounding production.  I mean, Come on! The fact that famed Dutch DJ Tiësto was asked to remix Amy's song "Spark" speaks to exactly what I'm saying! Never before had a trance/progressive house DJ remixed an Amy MacDonald song!  This was an entirely different sound for her, and while it worked for the most part, something about seemed a bit contrived to me, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

Now, let me be clear...overall, I think A Curious Thing was brilliant and you all know how much I love a good remix (and Tiësto's was BANG-ON) but it's definitely a good thing that MacDonald is returning to a more traditional folk pop sound.  While new single "Slow It Down" certainly has it's up-tempo moments, it doesn't sound over produced.  I "Slow It Down" combines elements from A Curious Thing and from her debut - the best of both worlds so to speak.  Plus, that "Down, Down, Down, Down-d-down Down" bit is catchy as hell! Add to that, anything MacDonald sings sounds fantastic with that fabulous Scottish accent of hers.  Every time her vocals seamlessly transition into that deep, throaty Scottish brogue of hers, you can't help but get sucked in.  I'm a sucker for an accent, after all.

Life in a Beautiful Light was recorded between State of the Ark Studios in Richmond and Mayfield Studio in Surrey. The album was produced by MacDonald's manager and long-term collaborator Pete Wilkinson (Paulo Nutini) and mixed by the legendary Bob Clearmountain (Bryan Adams, Robbie Williams).  At only 24 years old, it's hard to believe what a successful career Amy MacDonald already has.  To date, she's sold over 4 million albums worldwide and played to over 1.5 million fans.  Her debut 2007 album, This Is The Life was a #1 hit in five countries, while her sophomore effort hit the top 10  in ten countries all over Europe.  With the upcoming release of her third album, Life in a Beautiful Light, I don't see Amy MacDonald's star dimming any time soon.

Download Amy MacDonald on iTunes BELOW and look out for her new single and album on June 11th (iTunes UK).

Track Listing:

1. "4th of July"
2. "Pride"
3. "Slow It Down"
4. "The Furthest Star"
5. "The Game"
6. "Across the Nile"
7. "The Days of Being Young and Free"
8. "Left That Body Long Ago"  
9. "Life in a Beautiful Light"
10. "Human Spirit"
11. "The Green and the Blue"
12. "In The End"

iTunes UK

iTunes US

Check out Amy MacDonald on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//YouTube//VEVO