Darlington-based singer Hayley McKay contacted me as she had been given my details by her cousin, Gary Miller of The Whisky Priests, and wondered if I would be interested in hearing her latest single. Having been a fan of Gary for the best part of 30 years I was of course intrigued, but if I had expected something rooted in the town she hails from, then I was definitely wrong. Apparently her last single, “Thinking About Last Night”, received high acclaim in the States, reaching number one in the Ignition Country Charts, and I can see why if this is at all in a similar vein. It is rooted in singer/songwriter, with plenty of British folk and then American country, all brought together in an acoustic manner which sets the scene for her wonderfully clear vocals. If she had utilised banjo instead of mandolin, and brought in a fiddle or slide guitar, one would have said this was classic Americana and say it was obviously from the States. Written in partnership with Newcastle-based artist Hattie Murdoch during lockdown, it is all about appreciating the beauty and nature on our doorstep in a way we possible did not before restrictions. This is a wonderfully catchy and bouncy number, and I look forward to hearing much more in the future.
Rating: 9/10
