Horse McDonald's US Debut

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blues

After three decades in the European spotlight, seven albums, eight singles and hundreds of live appearances, Scottish singer Horse McDonald makes her American debut on Kosmic Music with the release of "Red Haired Girl" Sept. 4. Called "One of the finest singers in Britain" by influential Q Magazine, Horse McDonald has been described as an artist "who wouldn't have been out of place on the Stax or Motown labels in their heyday." The Kosmic release has been mixed by Bob Sadler of the British bands Fug and Secret Stealth.

"Red Haired Girl" is a passionate album covering a wide range of personal experiences on love, loss and learning. The moody tracks give a sense of growth and maturity. The poetic lyrics make it easy for the listener to connect individually to the universal experiences throughout the entire album. Each song tells a different story through the honest eyes of the artist.

"I want the album to convey a passion to the listeners, " says Horse from her home in Scotland. "It is meant to portray a confident and assured display of her emotions. There is maturity in the music and each song has its own mood."

Horse's talents are apparent by her display of vocal acrobatics, specifically in the heavy track "Can't Break My Heart" and the edgy title track "Red Haired Girl". The track's melodies of piano and strings create easy blues and classy jazz undertones, which compliment the contrast of her deep vocals. She inspires incredibly raw and heartfelt emotions with her incredibly unique voice. This album portrays a woman who has found strength and a sense of her self. She is an artist that will deservingly grab and keep your attention.

Often called 'the voice, ' Horse had toured extensively in her own right but has also performed alongside artists as diverse as Tina Turner, Robbie Williams, Burt Bacharach, Bryan Ferry, BB King, Aztec Camera, Nanci Griffith, Sir Ian McKellen, Lesley Garrett, Pet Shop Boys, All Saints, Kid Creole, Culture Club, and Erasure. A brave artist, she sees no boundaries to her genre, having performed live with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for the live album of that show, "Both Sides."

Originally signed with her band Horse, she released a couple of major label albums in the early Nineties: "The Same Sky" (Capitol) and "God's Home Movie" (MCA). Since disbanding the soul/rock outfit in 1996 to embark on a solo career, her reputation has continued to grow. "Both Sides" was the first album on her own label, Randan. "Hindsight: It's a Wonderful Thing, " went her subsequent studio album went on to garner critical acclaim.

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