In an age when IKEA reigns supreme, it's tempting for anyone with a few sheets of veneered particleboard, a bag of bolts (assuming they are all present and accounted for) and an allen key, to fancy himself a bit of a cabinetmaker. Sadly, the democratization of self-assembled furnishings has led to an erosion in our experience, and appreciation, of genuine craftsmanship. I believe the same can be said for contemporary singer-songwriters. There is a deceptive simplicity to Dougie MacLean's writing that could prompt you to lump him in with the purveyors of mass produced song – which would be a serious misjudgement. His choruses and titles are riddled with phrases you've heard before, and in less skilled hands they would easily descend into well-worn cliché. Melodically this is a gentle – if melancholic – record. The stand outs for me are Song for Johnny – for Johnny Cunningham – and Open Fields. All in all, a well-turned collection of contemplative songs.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Dougie MacLean – Inside the Thunder (Dunkeld Records)
In an age when IKEA reigns supreme, it's tempting for anyone with a few sheets of veneered particleboard, a bag of bolts (assuming they are all present and accounted for) and an allen key, to fancy himself a bit of a cabinetmaker. Sadly, the democratization of self-assembled furnishings has led to an erosion in our experience, and appreciation, of genuine craftsmanship. I believe the same can be said for contemporary singer-songwriters. There is a deceptive simplicity to Dougie MacLean's writing that could prompt you to lump him in with the purveyors of mass produced song – which would be a serious misjudgement. His choruses and titles are riddled with phrases you've heard before, and in less skilled hands they would easily descend into well-worn cliché. Melodically this is a gentle – if melancholic – record. The stand outs for me are Song for Johnny – for Johnny Cunningham – and Open Fields. All in all, a well-turned collection of contemplative songs.
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