Scott MacLeod

I like Scott MacLeod. I’d like to think that we grew up parallel bedrooms, hiding from our chores and listening to the same soundtrack because whenever I talk to him we end up going on forever about the music we like. The last time I saw him, he talked about one of my favourite subjects, singing, for ages. It surprised me, because I thought he was a singer-songwriter who spent most of his time on the latter. Turns out he used to put on the albums he liked best and, like me (and probably most of us), tried to mimic singers’ voices that he admired.

Those attempts are evident on Right as Rain, MacLeod’s third album. He also appears to be a little pissed off this time around. After the opening track, “Grey Skies”, on which he seems his usual cheerful, slightly melancholy, and just-a-twinge-sarcastic (it passes you by if you’re not paying attention) self, he takes a rather abrupt stylistic turn. Suddenly the guy who claims to marvel at Jim Cuddy’s falsetto is an angry student of Bruce Springsteen, fighting against a demanding partner in “Out of Line” and admonishing the ‘Queen of Kensington’ who calls him a drunk in “Kick Me When I’m Down” in a new, raspier voice. Sandwiched between these two is “Best I Can”, a song that captures the tortured realization that a relationship might not be working out as one might have hoped, and within 10 minutes, he’s run the gamut of emotions. It wakes you up.

Despite the surprises, I like the middle of the album a lot better than its beginning or end. MacLeod has found his stride by track five, “100 Years”; his performance is more relaxed and the songs feel like he’s put on his most comfortable sweater. Some of the anger from earlier has disappeared and these next songs are more reflective and confident. That’s not to say the edginess of his urgent performances should have been left off the album, but the next section balances out what could have been too much angst if it lasted.

“Forever Searching” is a nostalgic rumination on the potentially destructive, optimistic young thinking, contextualized in his own childhood in Eastern Canada. The sentiment of the lyrics is underpinned by a well-placed pedal steel that continues in a more traditional country-rock fashion in the next track, “I Can’t Deal”. The title track builds throughout in an effective contrast to the other songs on the album, going through the first section without drums; the bass never does appear. The sweetness that characterizes much of MacLeod’s work emerges again on “Straight On Till Morning”, another sparse acoustic song that doesn’t rely on a heavy arrangement for its effectiveness.

The longest track on here is 4:11. You know, there’s something to be said for songwriters who can package their message up in less than four minutes. Just as many appreciate concise writing, say in blogs (what? was someone talking to me?), audiences still seem to want the song that wraps up quickly and with no ambiguity. Maybe producer Jon Wood has something to do with the compact arrangements, or maybe it’s the result of MacLeod’s cache of great side players. In any case, the ability to negotiate complex emotions in a tightly woven collection of songs is evidence of MacLeod’s maturity as a songwriter. A great listen from start to finish.
- No Depression - August 2012. By Gillian Turnbull

Scott MacLeod - Old Soul Americana UK Review

Published Sunday, January 10, 2010 in Amercana UK

By Kai Roberts

Scott MacLeod “Old Soul” (Independent, 2009)

More Canadian goodness.

The second album from Calgary based singer-songwriter Scott MacLeod gets off to a magnificent start with the eponymous song Old Soul. It opens as a gloriously bucolic acoustic strum, but as the bass-line bounces on and the backing vocals start up on later choruses, it builds into as fine a piece of sunshine-pop flecked country rock as you’re ever likely to hear. It’s debatable as to whether the album attains such lofty heights again but it certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Over the course of the album, MacLeod reveals an impressive range as a songwriter without ever compromising the unity of the sound. In addition to obviously alt-country material such as the title track or Everytime, he also displays a talent for rocking out on Caught a Train or the chugging Grain Elevator Standing. Meanwhile, there’s the ramshackle campfire singalong Drink the Ocean Dry, hints of western-swing on Doreen and a debt to The Rolling Stones on the swaggering, decadent closer Run You Ragged.

The album never loses a rich, affirming feel and whilst MacLeod may not have the most individual vocal timbre, it’s a warm and appealing one nonetheless. He’s also a fine lyricist, with a touch of the barroom philosopher, with satisfying aphorisms such as “I pay my rent to a barstool every night” present throughout. It arguably lacks sufficient originality to rate as a truly impressive achievement but it nonetheless remains a collection of well-crafted, endearing material with scarcely a track wasted.


- Americana UK

Hero Hill Review - Old Soul

Published Friday, January 08, 2010 in Hero Hill -

By www.herohill.com

Reviews:: Scott MacLeod Old Soul
A few months ago, Craig over @ songsillinois.net started a ‘finger pointing, pass the buck session’ amongst a few Canadian bloggers that enjoy the roots music. “Sure, I might have missed out on Cam Penner, but so did X, Y and Z! And they live closer to him!”

Since that time, it’s been nice to see Cam’s record - Trouble & Mercy (review) - show up on some best of lists and really shine a light on the amazing Alberta roots/country scene, but more importantly it’s made me recalibrate my daily searches to include significantly more Albertans. Specifically - fearing another scolding - whenever I get a request from Calgary, I scan the details like an old fashioned detective, complete with magnifying glass, pipe and oddly constructed hat.

The latest artist to cross my path is PEI transplant and Calgary resident, Scott MacLeod. A seasoned story teller and song writer, Old Soul may only be Scott’s second full length, but it takes on the aura of a veteran musician that is completely comfortable with his style and sound, and plays music with his friends because it’s all he’s ever wanted. MacLeod is lucky enough to have some extremely talented friends - Lorrie Matheson produced and played on the record, as did Cam Penner and Brooke Wylie (and many others) - but he manages to fuse the unique collection of voices and textures into a seamless tapestry without losing control of the songs.

Old Soul, like the title indicates, takes the listener back to simpler times. Whether it’s the vivid image we all have of coal mines, the romantic feel of watching the world fly by your window on a long train trip or painful memories his family past down of the 1940’s flood, MacLeod’s voice is like an aural time machine. Remarkably though, he doesn’t let the burden of nostalgia drag down the listener, often adding bursts of electric (Grain Elevators, Standing Still), group sing-alongs (on the terrific Drank the Ocean Dry and the fun closer Day by Day), beautiful harmonies or effortless shifts from full band arrangements to more stripped down confessionals.

MacLeod is never going to be a name that dominates the blog world - right now there is exactly 0 posts on hypem.com with featuring his music - or find a home among the blindly loyal country fans that simply want to sing along to country pop anthems, but he’s a roots artist that will still be writing songs long after the popular sound stops including lap steel. Gritty songs like Let You Down fit nicely alongside more traditional numbers and show that MacLeod can write albums that fit your mood, whether it’s simply for a casual listen, a tear-in-your -beer evening after love runs you over once again or when you and your friends just want to hoist some drinks and laugh. - Hero Hill

“… Influences such as Bob Seger and John Fogerty, but whose sound and songwriting style is something warmer, homier, and more personal. A simple and affecting rustic charm….an exceptional debut.” – Mike Bell, Calgary Sun - Mike Bell, Calgary Sun

Raised in a small community on the east coast of Canada, Scott Macleod is now based around the live music scene in Calgary and has immersed himself in the culture of Canada’s West to produce a thoughtful and consistent debut album. Opening song “This Old Farmhouse” is heartfelt and unaffected, sung in an evocative voice made for this kind of music, and his take on the importance of roots and the relationship between travel and home reoccurs throughout the record. Songs range from acoustic ballads to harder country rock but the standard remains high, the musicians are excellent and the imagery is warm and simple.

Date review added: Monday, February 06, 2006
Reviewer: Jenny Alder
Reviewers Rating: 7 out of 10

- Americana UK

Location is everything

Scott MacLeod finds a voice and collaborators in Calgary

>>PREVIEW
SCOTT MACLEOD
Saturday, March 18
Ship & Anchor Pub

For many businesses – whether it’s retail sales or restaurants – it’s said that location is everything. As Scott MacLeod found out, the same is true for making music.
MacLeod had been strumming away on his guitar for years in Prince Edward Island, finding limited success with assorted covers and a smattering of original tunes at open mic nights. But, in 2001, he decided it was time to shake things up. Like many musical explorers, he packed up and headed west.
"There were a lot of reasons. The main thing is, I just wanted a change," he says. With several friends in Alberta and family in Canmore, Calgary became his new base of operations. "I was just getting comfortable playing back on P.E.I.... Calgary offered me a really warm music environment. I met a lot of cool people who were so supportive."
Taking what he had learned at home, MacLeod joined the open-mic circuit, becoming a regular at Karma Local Arts House. Soon he realized that he was going to have to start playing more than a handful of songs a night.
"I guess in my mind I got to the point where I was getting comfortable," he says. "I got to the point where I thought, this is OK. I’m not getting too many tomatoes. I need to take it where I want it to go – to the next level."
As he honed his playing and storytelling, he began to amass more original material. At the same time he started meeting more artists from Calgary’s singer-songwriter community. Both of those factors led to his visit to the studio in spring of 2005.
"Over the past few years I just got to know these different musicians through the open mics and I would say to them, I want to do an album here. And they would say, if you ever need any help, just let me know."
As a result, MacLeod’s easygoing full-length debut is loaded with local guest stars. Balancing MacLeod’s evocative roots rock are members of Blood Dungeon, Soultree and Cam Penner’s backing band, among others. The result is an album that rolls with mournful harmonica, winds along with lap steel solos and shimmers with B3 organ. It’s a big step forward for a guy who admits he was so nervous at his first open mic night in Calgary that he got too drunk to play. Now that he has got over his stage fright, MacLeod’s next move is to share the album with as many people as possible. With shows on the folk fest circuit this summer, MacLeod is once again on the move, but after living with these songs for more than five years, he is ready for it.
"Everything seems to go so much slower than I’d like it," he says. "But a lot of times, people around me have to remind me, look where I was a year ago, and that’s fair."


- Jason Lewis for FFWD Weekly

"It's the respect for the little things that makes MacLeod's narrative, rootsy tunes so enjoyable. Between songs about the stoic nature of grain elevators and sunset drink-along choruses, MacLeod likes a well told story that offers credo about the basic goodness of people." - The Vue, Edmonton

Scott MacLeod's song "Traveller's Rest" has...

"advanced to the next round of judging in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition." - ISC - Nashville TN. www.songwritingcompetition.com

Canadian singer/songwriter Scott MacLeod offers up a no-frills collection of acoustic-based alt. country and folk-rock on his self-titled debut. With tunes that trek along at median speeds, MacLeod brings all attention to his words, his images, and his memories with a dry rustic delivery that can work a tender acoustic ballad equally well as a slow driving roots-rocker.

- www.milesofmusic.com
- Miles of Music

“The journey from PEI across the nine mile bridge to the east coast of Canada and on to Calgary in the West was just the start for Scott MacLeod. One great self titled album under his belt and another planned for next year. I for one can’t wait. Then that journey will continue as Scott heads for Europe and hopefully Scotland where I’m sure he’ll feel at home! Watch out for Scott on whatever lonesome highway he happens to be on.”
– Tom (AmericanaOK) Fahey
- Tom Fahey

I hope everyone had a happy new year and is doing well as we start off 2010! I had a great time away from my “day job” and had a chance to recharge my batteries for the beter pat of two weeks - no complaints there!

I had a fun time doing a best of 2009 set on my last radio show. For those not tuning in, you can go to www.wcniradio.org to stream the station. I am on for the very musician un-friendly time of 6-9AM on Saturdays (yeah, I know it IS rude - but it works for my schedule…).

As a voting member of the Freeform Americana Roots chart, I had the opportunity to reflect on the “best of” for 2009. There was lots of great music (both listed as well as not listed here), so this list is a very subjective listing of some of my favorites from 2009:

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

* Scott Macleod: Old Soul (Self)
* Bottle Rockets: Lean Forward (Bloodshot)
* Various Artists: Keep Your Soul – A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard)
* Todd Snider: The Excitement Plan (Yep Roc)
* Patrick Bloom: Ghosts of Radio (Mud Dauber)
* Gurf Morlix: Last Exit To Happyland (Self)

DEBUT ALBUM

* Leo Rondeau: Down At The End of the Bar (self)
* The Mayflies A Thousand Small Things (Mud Dauber)
* Israel Nash Gripka; New York Town (self)
* Bourgeois Gypsies: Faulty Fairytales (Kaiam)

VARIOUS ARTISTS/TRIBUTE ALBUM

* Various Artists: Keep Your Soul – A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard)
* Various Artists: Chris Gaffney Tribute - Man of Somebody’s Dreams (Yep Roc)

REISSUE ALBUM (up to 3)

* Neil Young: Archives (Reprise)
* Drive-By Truckers: The Fine Print (New West)
* Nick Lowe: Quiet Please (Yep Roc)

FEMALE ARTIST:

* Rosie Flores
* Shannon McNally
* Carrie Rodriguez

MALE ARTIST:

* Dave Alvin
* James McMurtry
* JJ Cale

INSTRUMENTALIST:

* Gurf Morlix
* Dave Alvin
* Ian Mclagan

DUO/GROUP:

* Bottle Rockets
* Drive By Truckers
* The Felice Brothers

SONGWRITER:

* Todd Snider
* James McMurtry
* Fred Eaglesmith

BEST IN THE INDUSTRY (in no particular order)

* Jay Lewis (Yep Roc)
* Fred Boenig
* Jenni Finlay

‘till next month, take care (and if you are on the East coast, stay warm!)

- Brian - Twisted Roots Radio