Malcolm MacWatt describes his music as "Scottish americana", and while that feels a bit oxymoronic, it fits. The songs are generally set in the new world and often address the wrongs of the past. MacWatt brings plenty of Scottish folk to his harp-and-guitar driven songs. His voice, while relatively unaccented, has a certain recognizable lilt. However, all that is window dressing for his songwriting.

Malcolm MacWatt Dark Harvest (self-released)

MacWatt has been at this for some time, and he's figured out how to properly build and populate a song. The pieces here sound rough-hewn with their acoustic settings, but they've been carved with great care. MacWatt has a sure sense of how to tell a story, and he fits his words nicely within the musical setting.

As near as I can tell, MacWatt has stuck with an acoustic sound, but his muscular constructions would not suffer if electrified. I'm not asking for that to happen; I'm just trying to give a more complete description. These songs are not quiet. They have a fabulous range as they weave from tale to tale.

A work of ambition and great scope. MacWatt is able to grasp ears at once and hold them in thrall for the entire set. At a certain point, dependency sets in. The need for the next song must be sated. One of the most exciting albums I've heard in some time.

Jon Worley