Gnomes and trolls….

…..are all around us this time of year…..at least according to old swedish folk-lore. There is about half a meter of snow here in Malmö right now, which is, in my opinion (as someone who is hardly ever in a hurry or driving) VERY LOVELY!!!
I am really loving walking around in the snow, and can’t wait to get out there today…I am just concluding some emailing and listening to the speeches from the Cop15 summit in Copenhagen on the TV. It seems so sad that no agreement has been able to be reached. This is the future of our planet that we are talking about!!! There is a lot of frustration in the air right now in this part of the world. On a positive note, there is at least consensus finally that something needs to be done in order to avoid catastrophy. I feel pretty powerless, but also hopeful for the future…that people around the world can come together for a greater purpose…I guess we will see what happens, but all of this reminds me that I have to do everything I can to take my responsibility, and to figure out how I can make my own lifestyle sustainable. It is a challenge to be a musician who makes very little money who travels a lot, and still trying to be environmentally friendly. But we all are a part of the puzzle of this world..

Anyway, enough of my climate meditations. : )

I also wanted to give a warm HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all you people out there.

This has, in many ways, been the best year of my life, and I want to thank all of you who have made it such a good year for me. I have met some of the most incredible people, and I am so happy that so many people, from Russia to Europe to Canada,  have embraced and supported my music, come out to my shows, played my music on the radio, and encouraged me to continue down my artistic path. Thank you! It really means so much, every little nice comment or everyone who buys my cd.

I am so looking forward to this new decade….

Thank you for a wonderful year!

Love Sarah

Hello world+ Some new reviews in French

Hello world!

I am in my childhood hometown Malmö, Sweden righ now, planning my spring and summer tours, and things are looking good. I am playing all over europe this spring and will return to Canada in the summer. : ) Check my shows page, it will be updated a lot over the next couple of months. I’m going to some places I have never played before, including Germany, Holland, Belgium, Ireland and France! I’m also returning to Sweden, denmark, England, and Scotland.

I am also working on my next album, and am recording a duet soon with my Danish friend MC Hansen on one of his songs called ‘Come friday’.

Malmö is so lovely, dark and cozy this time of year. I am spending a lot of time walking around in the city, and breathing in the crisp air and the smells of winter fires. I love the peacefulness of this beautiful land.

I recently played some shows in England, one show with Annabelle Chvostek, and one show with Headwater (another band from Vancouver of which Tim is a member). It was lovely to be back there, and I can’t wait to return in April-May. It was a pleasure playing with both Annabelle and Headwater, they are all the highest caliber of musicians… If you haven’t heard them yet, I encourage you to listen to their songs on their websites.

Oh, and it’s the holidays! I have lowered the price on my cds on CD baby for this occasion. I think my cd is a perfect christmas present!
Buy it HERE

There have been some new reviews from Belgium and France recently:

Belgium:

With Music in My mind

Il n’est pas si aisé de trouver un bon album de folk/country/americana qui ne tombe pas dans les clichés associés à ces genres. La suédoise expatriée au Canada Sarah MacDougall est LA découverte de folk/country alternatif de cette fin d’année, tout simplement. Elle possède la voix enchanteresse d’un ange déchu, la profondeur de Lucinda Williams, la maturité d’une Joan Baez et la fraîcheur ainsi que la spontanéité associées à son jeune âge. Cette auteur/compositeur/productrice et guitariste a tout pour elle. Across The Atlantic est le deuxième Lp de la jolie demoiselle qui fait suite à son déjà très prometteur premier album Headed for the hills (2005) et au Ep I don’t want to be alone anymoreAcross The Atlantic.

Ballad Of Sherri débute sur un son mono acoustique qui fait songer à une démo prise sur le vif pour finalement prendre son envol sur un rythme échevelé. Le refrain plus mélancolique est absolument sublime. Une ouverture idéale. La beauté de la ballade folk/country Ramblin’ prend à la gorge. Un morceau très émouvant qui sonne comme un classique des années 70’s. Plus chaleureux et joyeux le dansant Cry Wolf est un petit bijou country comme on aimerait davantage en écouter. Mélodiquement parfait une fois de plus. Across The Atlantic invite au voyage au travers de cette jolie ballade reposante, simple et magnifiquement chantée par Sarah. I’ve Got Your Back est une de ces flamboyantes torch songs dont seuls les américains ont le secret décrypté par Sarah. Sur une note plus légère et décalée, Hundred Dollar Bills est une douceur burlesque subtile et élégante. Accélération de tempo notable sur le bijou qu’est Biggest Mistake. Le heartbreaking I’ve Got Sorrow continue dans la lignée amorcée des sublimes ballades par le morceau Ramblin’. Crow’s Lament résume parfaitement l’univers de Sarah : un morceau country équilibré qui peut plaire à un public peu attiré parce genre musical particulier. Un tour de force. La clôture se fait de la plus belle manière par le biais d’une splendide ballade habitée : Goodbye Juliet.

Premier album sorti de façon officielle, Across The Sky impressionne de part la maturité de sa créatrice. Époustouflant.

Note Finale: A+(+)

(2008). Sa musique est à la fois légère et sérieuse, lumineuse et poignante, en résumé, c’est une vraie belle expérience de découvrir et d’écouter

France:
Le Cri Du Coyote – December ‘09 /January ‘10

Just announced- Sarah playing w. Headwater

…..This SATURDAY the 21st of November! ………in Pulborough, England (sussex), at the Coconut Club. If you live around there or know of someone who live around there, come out! Tim will be joining me too!!

In case you haven’t heard of Headwater, the are a fantastic band from Vancouver.

Also, I’m playing in London at the Green Note in Camden tomorrow (19th..)! I’m playing 1st, at 9 pm, then fellow Canadian Annabelle Chvostek is playing at 10. My mum will be there, and she’s coming all the way from Sweden!!! What’s your excuse…? : )

Check out Sarah on CBC Radio 3!

Sarah now has a CBC page! You can also listen to tons of other Canadian music and make your own playlists! This is a great network for all Canadians who love Canadian music, we think! : )

CBC Radio 3 Artist – Sarah MacDougall.

Women In The Round at the 2009 Vancouver Island MusicFest-CBC Radio 2

You can now listen to my show with Joanna Chapman Smith and Kate Reid at the Vancouver Island Music Fest this summer on the CBC website here:

Women In The Round at the 2009 Vancouver Island MusicFest · CBC Radio 2 – Concerts On Demand.

Women In The Round at the 2009 Vancouver Island MusicFest

Recorded: Jul. 12, 2009

Venue: Vancouver Island MusicFest, Courtenay, BC

Genres: Singer/Songwriter

Joanna Chapman-Smith, Kate Reid and Sarah MacDougall are all strong, individual, Canadian singer-songwriters. Together as Women in the Round, they are a dynamic stage presence.

Joanna Chapman-Smith is a multi-instrumentalist who has roots in New Zealand, Italy and Brazil. Her songs are as eclectic as her upbringing, with beautiful lyrics delivered with a rare, emotionally-infused style that melts the hardest of hearts.

Kate Reid is a whip smart wordsmith armed with a guitar, a cache of harmonicas and a knack for candid story-telling and songwriting that is charged with humour and social-political commentary.

Swedish-born songwriter, Sarah MacDougall is a storyteller, entertainer and minstrel with a Euro-Folk Americana style, a haunting voice and songs to match.

With intelligent lyrics, and stellar guitar-playing coming from the Grassy Knoll stage, the audience soon embraced the warm vibes of these three Women In The Round.

Joanna Chapman-Smith

Sarah MacDougall

Kate Reid

Vancouver Island MusicFest