"MacDonald's second release is nothing short of delicious"--Exclaim!
"This album simply oozes class...a might fine record"--Americana UK
Norma MacDonald is a creature of dichotomy; joy/sadness, city/town, past/future, art/science, dog/cat. Her music reflects the mixed feelings of one who is in a constant state of flux along these spectrums and the nostalgia felt for both extremes.
The New Waterford, Nova Scotia native's third album “Morning You Wake”, produced by Halifax multi-instrumentalist Phil Sedore (Amelia Curran, Catherine MacLellan), is undoubtedly the songwriter’s most diverse collection of sounds and stories to date. From the starry-eyed waltz Bright as you Dare, to the Neko Case-ean Comeback Kid to the elegiac Springsteen flood-of-emotion of Swollen Sky, her sound mixes the sincerity and grit of car stereo old-country with the polish and sophistication of satellite radio North-Americana. This latest recording also finds MacDonald tackling her hometown’s history; Blackhearts of the Company is based on the life of William Davis, a coal miner that was shot and killed by mining company police during a protest in New Waterford in 1925.
Producer Sedore plays over a dozen instruments on the latest record, complementing but not overshadowing a band of top East coast musicians, including Brian Murray (The Guthries) on drums, Adam Fine (Gypsop …
"MacDonald's second release is nothing short of delicious"--Exclaim!
"This album simply oozes class...a might fine record"--Americana UK
Norma MacDonald is a creature of dichotomy; joy/sadness, city/town, past/future, art/science, dog/cat. Her music reflects the mixed feelings of one who is in a constant state of flux along these spectrums and the nostalgia felt for both extremes.
The New Waterford, Nova Scotia native's third album “Morning You Wake”, produced by Halifax multi-instrumentalist Phil Sedore (Amelia Curran, Catherine MacLellan), is undoubtedly the songwriter’s most diverse collection of sounds and stories to date. From the starry-eyed waltz Bright as you Dare, to the Neko Case-ean Comeback Kid to the elegiac Springsteen flood-of-emotion of Swollen Sky, her sound mixes the sincerity and grit of car stereo old-country with the polish and sophistication of satellite radio North-Americana. This latest recording also finds MacDonald tackling her hometown’s history; Blackhearts of the Company is based on the life of William Davis, a coal miner that was shot and killed by mining company police during a protest in New Waterford in 1925.
Producer Sedore plays over a dozen instruments on the latest record, complementing but not overshadowing a band of top East coast musicians, including Brian Murray (The Guthries) on drums, Adam Fine (Gypsophilia) on bass, Kev Corbett on percussion and Ruth Minnikin on vocals.
An extroverted introvert, MacDonald is known to be a versatile performer; she slides easily from theatrical poise to talking sass with the drinkers in the front row, usually in the same set. Her big vocals, heartfelt delivery and sharp wit are hallmarks of her live performances.
MacDonald's second release “the forest for the trees” (2008) was nominated for Female Solo Recording of the Year by both the Nova Scotia Music Awards and the East Coast Music Awards. Several singles have become staples on the CBC Radio 2 playlist (Long Shot was included on iTunes compilation “CBC Radio 2 Discoveries”). Showcases include NXNE, the Halifax Pop Explosion and the Canadian Music East Coast Style stage at the North American Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis. Be sure to check her on her “Morning You Wake” cross- Canada release tour. For dates, please visit www.normamacdonald.com.
