norma macdonald

Norma MacDonald
MORNING YOU WAKE
(Independent NM-II-03)
****
(Pain and passion prove powerfully pleasurable)

Three records in, Norma Macdonald continues along on her path of broken hearts mangled relationships and shattered trysts, wielding a voice that bleeds with a pain from somewhere deep inside. Mournful but never ever overpowering, she sails above any and all instrumentation with a delicate sadness that proves addictive across all-original songcraft that covers an ever-widening range. From the slightly Celtic tinge of “Cordelia” – ever-loyal to her Cape Breton roots – to dark, singer-songwriter material that reveals strong country tangents that make even more of her voice, regardless of its alt-etched accompaniment. “Lessons Learned” plumb the depths of a soured relationship that lives to be doomed, as piano, bass and electric guitar add far more than they subtract. The oddly framed “Canada Day” is awash in banjo, organ, guitar and male background vocals – even French horn – yet its eerie takeaway is substantial, complete with adventurous detours from its powerful chorus. The slow, sleepy “Two Heads On A Pillow” mines Margo Timmins’ turf with its atmospheric guitars and waltzing pace, yet songs like the surprisingly upbeat “Klondike” prove a welcome respite, ripe with plenty of B3 and jangly guitar. The oddly delicious “Ages” marries banjo to dobro effects resembling a sitar to great effect. The album’s nerve centre is “Comeback Kid” – a fully-realized song blending equal parts guitar, piano, harmonica and Macdonald’s earnest vocal. Likewise, “Swollen Sky” holds one’s attention in its grip with its sad and delicate finery – complete with ringing guitar and simpatico backing vocals from Ruth Minnikin. The uncharacteristically perky “Follow The Flowers” takes its bass-backed backbeat, adding guitar, dobro and sturdy background vocals to end the album on the closest thing to happy that you’ll hear. Without a doubt, Macdonald serves up an overpowering sadness that hangs over everything she does. As mournful and hurting as this may suggest, she delivers her music in a joyous, hopeful way and – just as you can never say the blues are sung to make you cry – Macdonald achieves a surprising level of intimacy in her recordings, turning dark skies into sunshine in the telling. Joined by a supremely talented producer (and multi-instrumentalist) in Phil Sedore, together with a cast of some of Atlantic Canada’s most impressive side players, Norma Macdonald’s latest release proves the perfect choice to wake up to. - Eric Thom

2009 ECMA nominee, Norma MacDonald’s third album, Morning You Wake, is an easy-to-love, collection of country songs that gets better with every listen. MacDonald and producer Phil Sedore have taken the time and consideration to create a diverse collection of stories that hit an emotional note with the listener.

“Cordelia” greets the listener with a simple accordion line and MacDonald’s beautiful voice as she reflects on a life-long friendship. She continues to score big on heartfelt follow-ups “Lesson Learned”, “Ages” and “Bright as You Dare”; All feature different arrangements that resonate a country vibe but are alt-rock, pop and jazz influenced respectively.

I won’t hold you back this time, you were meant to burn and shine, and I was made for leaving behind, so go where you’re going….

This is one of my favourite lines on the record and is the theme for key track, “Canada Day”. When MacDonald hits that line, instead of sounding resentful or bitter, she celebrates the growth of this person with harmonious layers of organ, steel lap and horns. Again, MacDonald reaches folk perfection on the brooding “Black Hearts of the Company” a song based on Cape Breton coal-miner William Davis, who was shot and killed by mining police during a protest in 1925; This track could have fit perfectly on Bruce Springsteen’s Devils & Dust.

Calling Morning You Wake a country-pop record would be an injustice as every track tackles the country genre from a different point of view and like MacDonald’s life-worn poetry they take you on a journey….you just have to give it some time. (Independent)

4/5 Stars - Stagedoormusicreviews.com

I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning...

This satisfying third album from Nova Scotian songstress Norma MacDonald gently floats between several roots genres to find its own comfortable space.

The country-edged likes of waltz ‘Two Heads on a Pillow’, with its atmospheric lap-steel, mix with the more acoustic folk of ‘Canada Day’ and banjo-lead ‘Ages’, while the more melodic rock material like ‘Lesson Learned’ and ‘Klondike’ are equally tuneful and powerful.

MacDonald possesses a strong and emotive voice, most affecting on the stripped-back track ‘Blackhearts of the Company’, where Macdonald vocalises some of the legends of her hometown in the story of William Davis who was shot dead by private police in a worker’s protest in 1925, to impressive effect. Among other stand-outs, the accordions and country-pop of opener ‘Cordellia’ is inspired by Margaret Atwood, and ‘Bright As You Dare’s aching country and unusual harmony sounds make this the album’s emotional centre-piece, alongside the Springsteen-esque 'Swollen Sky'.

MacDonald instils her thoughtful songs with a healthy dose of soul and feeling, making this a classy and enjoyable album of well written and executed material.
- Americana UK

"A mighty fine album...Just the kind of music for those warm summer evenings ahead...this album simply oozes class." - Phil Edwards

Like the voice of a long-forgotten friend, Cape Bretoner Norma Macdonald has released a timeless CD that reaffirms the East coast as Canada's premiere breeding ground for red-hot musical talent. With a voice that can recall (early) Natalie Merchant, it remains distinctively hers. With a side of old-school country twang born of absorbing her father's music collection, she's equal parts hurt and hopeful, and thoroughly current. Originally the lead singer with Halifax's Highland Heights, then releasing her first solo release in '05, Macdonald emerges from this painstakingly constructed production as a free-flying artist rippling with confidence. Like Merchant, Macdonald has found her Peter Buck (10,000 Maniacs) in like-minded guitarist/banjoist/co-producer Charles Austin (Superfriendz, Buck 65, Matt Mays), who, together with a superlative ensemble of players (bassist Adam Fine, guitarist/pedal steel player Dale Murray) has helped craft full-bodied compositions that complement Macdonald's every move. Austin's upbeat banjo and Murray's weeping pedal steel help contemporize each track, augmenting Macdonald's sumptuous vocals with parallel textures and overall focus. From intoxicating opener "A Little Longer" to the thoroughly addictive "Long Shot," Macdonald's second release is nothing short of delicious. (Independent) - Eric Thom

Norma MacDonald is the type of artist you love to claim as your own. As selfish as it seems, you want her to only play small shows at local watering holes, coveting her songs as you would a secret pizza joint or a craft lager.



Unfortunately for Nova Scotian music fans, Norma’s voice – one as pure as freshly fallen snow – and polished arrangements can move from province to province, bar to bar, and festival to festival without ruffling the feathers of any local scene. On the surface you might take that to mean nondescript or generic, but in reality MacDonald and multi-instrumentalist Phil Sedore (with help from endless members of the NS folk/roots scene) created a record that will stand up strongly year after year, regardless of what made up, micro-genre is the flavor of the month.



Morning You Wake oozes patience and professionalism. Years of playing together and an understanding of Norma’s musical vision helped the large cast of musicians provide supporting textures that help MacDonald finish her thoughts without overcrowding the end result. Whether it’s warm organ tones, violin, french horn, or understated harmonies, every contribution fits nicely alongside Norma’s honest, heartfelt subject matter. Morning You Wake is a natural progression from her last LP, in both sound and structure, and honestly if you dind’t know this was only her second full length, it would be easy to think MacDonald has a catalog spanning decades.



The album standout, “Blackhearts of the Company”, details the life and untimely death of coal miner William Davis and will certainly earn a few well deserved Neko Case comparisons, but really the consistency of Morning You Wake is its biggest strength. Each country/folk melody is well crafted and helps Norma’s voice charm each and every listener. Norma is playing @ The Company House on June 4th with Ruth Minnikin and Ronok Sarkar. I’d guess there might be a few special guests on the stage with her that night, so make sure you are there. - Herohill

Norma MacDonald is the type of artist you love to claim as your own. As selfish as it seems, you want her to only play small shows at local watering holes, coveting her songs as you would a secret pizza joint or a craft lager.



Unfortunately for Nova Scotian music fans, Norma’s voice – one as pure as freshly fallen snow – and polished arrangements can move from province to province, bar to bar, and festival to festival without ruffling the feathers of any local scene. On the surface you might take that to mean nondescript or generic, but in reality MacDonald and multi-instrumentalist Phil Sedore (with help from endless members of the NS folk/roots scene) created a record that will stand up strongly year after year, regardless of what made up, micro-genre is the flavor of the month.



Morning You Wake oozes patience and professionalism. Years of playing together and an understanding of Norma’s musical vision helped the large cast of musicians provide supporting textures that help MacDonald finish her thoughts without overcrowding the end result. Whether it’s warm organ tones, violin, french horn, or understated harmonies, every contribution fits nicely alongside Norma’s honest, heartfelt subject matter. Morning You Wake is a natural progression from her last LP, in both sound and structure, and honestly if you dind’t know this was only her second full length, it would be easy to think MacDonald has a catalog spanning decades.



The album standout, “Blackhearts of the Company”, details the life and untimely death of coal miner William Davis and will certainly earn a few well deserved Neko Case comparisons, but really the consistency of Morning You Wake is its biggest strength. Each country/folk melody is well crafted and helps Norma’s voice charm each and every listener. Norma is playing @ The Company House on June 4th with Ruth Minnikin and Ronok Sarkar. I’d guess there might be a few special guests on the stage with her that night, so make sure you are there. - Herohill

Growing up in New Waterford on Cape Breton Island, singer/songwriter Norma MacDonald was exposed to a steady stream of classic country songs broadcast by local AM stations, and there was more at home, where the songs of Willie Nelson frequently found their way onto the family stereo.

It likely didn’t come as much of a surprise to those around her that elements of classic country found their way into MacDonald’s music when she began to write her own songs.

Two albums into a promising career, MacDonald’s music still reveals the influence some of those early country songs had on her, but one listen to her second album, The Forest For The Trees, will tell you her influences are far more wide-ranging than that, crossing both genres and generations.

MacDonald in fact draws her inspiration from a host of sources, sources that include both Nashville stalwarts and more contemporary tunesmiths like Springsteen and Wilco.

The songs that pour out of her are honest, heartfelt, and emotionally charged, and they are exceedingly well-crafted for someone whose career is only just beginning to take shape. They are well-served by a voice which has a beautifully melodic quality to it, falling somewhere between Gillian Welch and Patty Griffin.

The future looks very bright for MacDonald, who’s already garnered favourable reviews from as far away as the UK and just this year found herself with an ECMA nomination for Female Solo Recording of the Year.

- Artist Showcase

"Two Dollar Bill...is a truly fantastic song that could easily have been done by the great Kirby Grips, and hopefully a sign of what's to come." - Brent Raynor

"This, the second album from Canadian singer-songwriter Norma MacDonald is the perfect introduction to one of the purest new female voices you're likely to hear.

The sound is country through and through, blending a traditional, authentic sound with a more contemporary feel. Ten self-written and produced tracks hang together with pleasing harmony to produce an album that is both soulful and reflective.

Her voice is, for my money, at its heartbreaking best on 'Pulling on a Thread', a ballad in the classic country mould that resonance with beauty and intelligence. 'A Little Longer', the opening track, is another fine brooding effort, while foot-tapper 'Sand' is more upbeat, an infectious melody infused with some lovely pedal steel.

Norma lists Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams and Gram Parsons among her influences, and there is no mistaking the mark of a country steeped childhood (she was raised on "AM country radio stations and Willie Nelson cassettes") in her work today. Born in Cape Breton and now based in Nova Scotia, Norma is building her fanbase in her native Canada, although her first album 'NOTHING IS WHERE IT WAS' also garnered favourable reviews in the UK.

As well as a stop-you-in-your tracks voice, Norma has the benfit of a talented band: Charles Austin (Superfriendz, Buck 65r) on guitar and banjo, Adam Fine (Gypsophilia) on bass, Dale Murray (Cuff the Duke, Hayden, The Guthries) on pedal steel, and a host of others. There is no doubt that Norma has a huge talent and a voice that will appeal to country and folk fans on theis side of the Atlantic. The big question is whether she has that extra something to stand out in a very crowded marketplace. On the evidence of this collection, she must have a pretty good chance." KL - September 2009

" ..an earthy country approach from another excellent and talented Canadian lady." - Robert Mills

Norma MacDonald
The Forest for the Trees (Independent)

Cape Breton singer MacDonald has delivered a strong set of rootsy, country-tinged original songs backed by some of Halifax’s finest players. With the assistance of co-producer Charles Austin, she has painstakingly put together a fine album with imaginative arrangements, great playing and strong singing. The CD has a languid, laid-back feeling to it that suits the material well.
The opening track, A Little Longer, gets things rolling with its loping groove underpinned with subtle banjo, and MacDonald dueting vocally with Daniel Ledwell to great effect. Water on the Moon wouldn’t be out of place on an early Dolly Parton record. We Are Ghosts sails along and features some wonderful pedal steel guitar playing by Dale Murray. The album ends with the beautifully understated So Soundly. Well worth a listen. Daily.
– By Tim Readman

- Tim Readman

"The purity of her voice and weightlessness of the tracks could easily soundtrack a long drive on those perfect fall evenings...the Forest for the Trees is beautiful. Using any other description cheapens the thought. - Bryan Acker

"A seasoned singer-songwriter...rich modern folk melodies and a charmingly bright voice with a hint of earthy twang" - Stephen Cooke

"An accomplished debut, full of lush, well-arranged tunes...more personal than the average singer songwriter, emphasizing her strength and experience as a performer." - Johnston Farrow