Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Two sides of the same coin, both coming up heads and with wide brimmed smiles of comfort and insight radiating from in between the edges of American Folk; this is the place where a child of the atomic age rubs shoulders with the influence and study of far and wide culture, and the result is one of harmonious interaction and pleasing delivery, a significant spectrum of colour in a world that can at times find the coin landing edgeways on and confusing all who witness it.
Kate MacLeod delivers with the sound of the Renaissance Woman firmly in her ears, the rapid study, the keen implementation of all she has focused her attention on, and as the influence of classical, Celtic, Bluegrass, Eastern European and Folk Rock all chime and peal in the listener’s ears and soul, so her latest album Uranium Maiden strikes home with distinction, pleasure, and dramatic belief, with the musicology of a patient and inspiring performer.
If the idea of encompassing all in time with a Renaissance thought, then it is through the spirit of the pioneer that settles on the groove of the songs providing a rich tapestry of woven history via the contribution of fellow artists against a backdrop of large skies and intricate, expansive feeling, all show as the various stories and vignettes take hold of the air surrounding the listener, and catches the coin spun in the air with a delicate balance of precision and experience.
Uranium Maiden sees two sides take hold, fully electric and one that boldly, fiercely, extenuates the acoustic side of her performances, and as tracks such as Time Zone, The Train Across The Great Salt Lake, Storm on the Desert, the excellent whimsy to be found in Butch Cassidy Wad Here, Angels On My Mind, Red Rock, Shadow Changes, and Apology to the Native Rock, this dedication to the great state of Utah is one of unbridled passion, of learning, observance, of praising the many gifts of nature and history it holds, is a triumph, is one to make the heart fill with gladness.
You cannot look at a landscape and not be filled with the understanding of what it means, how it shapes all that surrounds it, all that is written about its grandeur and size, its depth, its beauty, and Uranium Maiden is no different, the coin lands face up, the maiden smiles, for she knows without doubt that it is the right call, that all Kate MacLeod has witnessed is laid bare for all to embrace.
Kate MacLeod releases Uranium Maiden on February 4th.
Ian D. Hall