Album Review: Life in a Beautiful Light by Amy MacDonald

Life in a Beautiful Light, the third studio outing from Amy Macdonald, finds the Scottish singer/songwriter applying her refreshingly unhindered brogue to a heartfelt, 12-song set that blends the stadium-baiting wail of fellow countrymen Broken Records and Frightened Rabbit with the safe, middle of the road, adult alternative pop of James Blunt and Brandi Carlile. Things get off to a grand start with the spirited "4th of July," an open-road-ready, horn-laden, four-chord love letter to a weekend fling that's equal parts Springsteen and Tunstall, with a little bit of the Proclaimers tossed in for good measure. Elsewhere, "Slow It Down," Life in a Beautiful Light's first tick in the vocal affectation department, and the U2-cribbed "Across the Nile," a political war cry concerning the Arab Spring uprising, are certainly rousing, but feel a bit calculated.

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Macdonald’s a fine songwriter, but her performances lack a singular, standout appeal. Mike Diver 2012 Three albums down and Amy Macdonald is acquiring an air of always-the-bridesmaid. The 24-year-old’s previous long-players’ combined sales total around four million, but it’s a rare listener who’d name her alongside Adele or Amy Winehouse in terms of recognisably successful modern UK artists.

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