ALBUM: Sarah MacDougall 'Grand Canyon'

Rating:

Canadian Swedish singer-songwriter Sarah MacDougall has a lot of prestige to her name as winner of the Western Canadian Music Award, and one of Sweden’s best artists according to Nöjesguiden. Nearly four years after her last album, MacDougall settled down last winter to write her stunning new record Grand Canyon.

Much of this release has an enchanting enveloping and atmospheric quality that stays in touch with her folk roots; The syncopated layered rhythms of guitar, synth and vocals in ‘I Want To See The Light (Lost From Out Eyes). The synth elements cleverly lighten what would otherwise been a strongly folk sound and adds a fresh twist. Perhaps the most intimate song on the album is ‘Malmö I Mitt Hjärta’ – which translates from Swedish as ‘Malmö In My Heart’ – has a nostalgic and far reaching sound that builds to emotional breaking point and is made even more poignant by the use of Swedish lyrics.

MacDougall shows a more spirited side in ‘The Story of Pippi and Lionheart’, which incorporates a swaying rhythm and playful lyrics with a soulful element that is utterly charming, with lines such as “I wish I was Robocop”. This upbeat sound continues across tracks ‘Sparrowhead’ and ‘Grand Canyon’, which are both undeniably infectious with dare-you-not-to-dance beats and personable lyrics.

And still she holds onto that acoustic element in ‘Devil’s Gap’ which opens with acoustic guitar, reverberated vocals and a steady, thoughtful beat. The sound of this angsty love-loss song is deeply melancholy and almost sleepy, which gives it a quiet intensity. The penultimate track, ‘2012’, follows this theme with plucked guitar and utterly gorgeous (if repetitive) vocals which have a subtle power.

What shines through on this release is MacDougall’s unique voice which has a honey-richness and a maturity to it that rolls effortlessly across her music. Every song is seamlessly arranged in a way that brings rich texture without any loss of personable simplicity. Grand Canyon moves from upbeat and playful to atmospheric folk with an all-encompassing beauty that is a feast for the ears.

Grand Canyon is out now.