Hayley Mackay – Wild West

Taking an interesting musical turn towards Country and Americana, Wild West is a valiant attempt by Mackay to keep things fresh by repositioning her knack for pop melodies into new arenas.  Laced with strumming acoustic guitars and country fiddles, and keeping an upbeat pop tempo, Wild West aligns heavily with Jimmy Nail’s Crocodile Shoes-era Cowboy Dreams, another track which blends North Eastern insights into broken relationships with country imagery and sounds.   Providing a solid base for Mackay’s delicate vocal, Wild West succeeds well by maintaining her core strengths (vocals and narrative) whilst showcasing them in a new environment.  A lovely pop tune and an interesting idea.