In the huge market of young female singer-songwriters armed with a guitar, it's going to be quite difficult to get noticed. Amy MacDonald, a 19 year old from Scotland, must know this, because here's her hook: she isn't really a folky singer/songwriter after all.
Yes, MacDonald's influences are far more rocky than the likes of Katie Melua or Norah Jones - she's inspired by the likes of The Killers, Razorlight and, especially, Pete Doherty - who this single has been written about. It's certainly a lot less laid-back than the usual brand of singer/songwriter, and MacDonald's voice is certainly distinctive, although it does rather suffer from sounding like ex-Cranberries screecher Dolores O'Riordan at times.
It rolls along nicely and certainly keeps the foot tapping, but it's just lacking that extra magic ingredient to turn MacDonald into a star. The lyrics show promise - berating Doherty for being a genius songwriter yet wasting his talent on drugs - even if they are a bit cringeworthy at times. MacDonald is a definite talent, if one that needs a bit of refining at the moment.
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