As the driving force behind London band The Glass Mountains, Scottish songwriter MALCOLM MacWATT had already gained national press recognition for his powerful songwriting. As a solo performer, swapping out his telecaster for an acoustic guitar, his story-telling comes to the fore, often with brutal clarity and his acoustic albums Anywhere But Here and Three Truths and The Chord have received glowing reviews.
For his third studio release Dial It Back he turned the electricity back on to explore his 70s rock roots. With his latest EP Hearts and Horizons MacWatt sings of love, passion, hope and grief mixing the sounds of classic country with a modern production. Hailing from the North of Scotland, he has worked on the North Sea offshore oil platforms, as a newspaper journalist, in education and now lives in London.
With banjo, dobro and pedal steel in the mix, Heart and Horizons fuses the best elements of country with modern production on four songs about grief, obsession, loneliness and endurance. I adore the emotive stories and honest grit of classic country and the darker heart of southern gothic, said Malcolm. At the same time I love the hooks and melodies of modern country and the delicate touch of homegrown folk music.
So while Hearts and Horizons displays true country soul, London singer-songwriter Clare Portman was brought in to contribute her crystal clear backing vocals for a distinct British edge.With the release of Dial It Back in January 2020, MacWatt gained a new audience drawn to the albums 70s rock-inspired production, however Hearts and Horizons will reassure listeners that his country flame continues to burn bright.
The EP is available on Bandcamp, Spotify and all the major digital platforms. It is also available as a limited run CD.
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Listen to Malcolm’s music on Spotify
Listen to Malcolm’s music on Bandcamp
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