Natalie McCool // Natalie McCool

Natalie McCool is getting a lot of good press at the minute, winning ‘Female Artist Of The Year’ at the Liverpool Music Awards 2013. And the hype around Northern girl Natalie is completely credible – her vocals are impeccable and pretty, well, cool. Cleary the girl can play, and has good grit to her voice. But there seems to be a Jekyll and Hyde split with the songs on the debut album, with tracks that comfortably place her next to the likes of The XX and London Grammar, and then songs that are really just over-produced and commercial. ‘Black Sun’ has massive streaks of a pop style, with perfectly rhyming lyrics, which is easy enough to listen to, but when heard next to darker and grittier tracks such as ‘America’ it just falls short of the mark. McCool can add McCartney to her list of collaborators, as he helped concoct the bridge in the opening track ‘America’. A good start to the album, it promises a female musician who doesn’t just bang out high notes to impress. I just hope the more preened and perfected sounds on the album don’t take centre stage when it comes to the live set. McCool with the guitar and a loop pedal? I’d happily believe in that. Winning the Yamaha national song writing competition five years ago gives merit to her lyrics, and they really do cut through the more pop-style songs on the album such as 'Fortune'.She really wins me over with her penultimate track 'Dust & Coal', an infectious little guitar lick alongside strong folk-esque harmonies. Natalie McCool’s self-titled album verges on the commercial, but if she sticks with her solid harmonies and robust musicianship then her name will be truly deserved.

Natalie McCool is getting a lot of good press at the minute, winning ‘Female Artist Of The Year’ at the Liverpool Music Awards 2013. And the hype around Northern girl Natalie is completely credible – her vocals are impeccable and pretty, well, cool. Cleary the girl can play, and has good grit to her voice. But there seems to be a Jekyll and Hyde split with the songs on the debut album, with tracks that comfortably place her next to the likes of The XX and London Grammar, and then songs that are really just over produced and commercial. ‘Black Sun’ has massive streaks of a pop style, with nice lyrics and perfectly rhyming lyrics. Which is easy enough to listen to, but when heard next to darker and grittier tracks such as ‘America’ it just fall short of the mark. McCool can add McCartney to her list of collaborators, as he helped concoct the bridge in the opening track ‘America’. A good start to the album, it promises for a female musician who doesn’t just bang out high notes to impress. I just hope the more preened and perfected sounds on the album don’t take centre stage come gigs. McCool with the guitar and a loop pedal? I’d happily believe in that. Winning the Yamaha national song writing competition five years gives merit to her lyrics, as McCool’s lyrics really do cut through the more pop-style songs on the album such as Fortune.She really wins me over with her penultimate track Dust & Coal, an infectious little guitar lick alongside strong folk-esque harmonies. Natalie McCool’s self-titled album verges on the commercial, but if she sticks with her solid harmonies and robust guitar licks then her name will be truly deserved.