I recently came across Michael McGovern and his Thin White Road album and fell in love with his rich storytelling and warm voice (I’ve even booked to see him live in Edinburgh). I was glad to discover an up-and-coming Scottish artist, born in Glasgow, who I will now always associate with my time in Edinburgh.
For me, ‘Evelyn’ stands out as his most memorable track, with its emotional authenticity and gentle simplicity, telling a familiar story of lost love. The single features gentle finger-picked guitar with faint traces of fiddle that gracefully carry a soft, captivating melody, before synth strings build. This creates a bittersweet and melancholic tone as McGovern reminisces with regret: “Remember when you loved me, And when you changed your mind”. The lyrics ache with nostalgia, resonating with that all too well-known feeling of heartbreak.
Occasional chromaticism adds musical interest, and it is lovely to hear a Scottish accent poking through. As a named inspiration, there is a Leonard Cohen-esque sombre quality, blended with the introspective mood and acoustic folk styles of Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. McGovern slots in seamlessly with these greats on all my folk-style autumnal-vibe playlists, with ‘Evelyn’ readily on repeat.
“guitars” by foxtail_1 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.