Evelyn Laurie’s ‘My Scottish Heart’ | First Listen Review

Hailing from right here in Paisley, Evelyn Laurie is a chanteuse with a keen sense of her identity as an artist. Keenly intermingling the worlds of jazz and traditional Scottish music that’s normally rendered in a more folk-based palette, Evelyn is by no means short on ambition and was resoundingly rewarded for it on 2018 debut album A Little Bit Of Me. 

Three years on, she has not only sidestepped the dreaded sophomore slump, but truly fleshed out who she is as a performer on My Scottish Heart. 

Incorporating four Paisley-based wordsmiths into its tracklist, Evelyn exhibits her skill as not only an interpreter but a writer on this deeply resonant project. Having penned the title track herself, it then acts as the compass which guides the direction of the album as Evelyn explores not only her heritage, but the music that’s inspired her over the years.

Equally as adept at taking on the work of Alabama’s Odetta as she is when rendering The Corries’ Loch Tay Boat Song in her own distinct brogue, the album takes many of the tracks that you’d anticipate hearing at a ceilidh or trad event and recasts them in the invitingly dim light of the jazz club. Amid delivering pitch-perfect vocal performances that are indicative of her immense control of her main instrument, Evelyn’s demure style is underpinned by a tremendous band that ensures each note hits with the intended panache or in some cases, emotive tug on the heartstrings.

Never one to simply record an album and let it live in the ether, Evelyn is primed to launch My Scottish Heart with a performance at Paisley’s The Bungalow on Saturday 14th August. Tickets for the show are available here.

The album is available now via Spotify, Apple Music and all major streaming services. Check it out now below: