Let's discover something together, like two lovers walking on the beach at sunset and finding a beautiful shell. Or going out on a first date and laughing at the same parts in your new favorite movie. Or shopping hand-in-hand on opening day at your cities first Super Target. Are you ready, my cheeky monkeys? ("cheeky monkeys" being a phrase used by talk show host Craig Ferguson, on whose show I saw Amy MacDonald for the first time the other night.) I've seen her cd at our store, but I didn't know anything about her. Until I saw her on The Late Late Show. And then I knew two things. She has an accent that makes her sound like the lead singer for The Cranberries, minus the shrieking parts. Secondly, the song she performed, "Mr. Rock & Roll," had me captivated two lines in. (I'll post some lyrics to that song at the end of the review.) Also, she's really cute. Ok, that's three things. But that's all I knew. Let's find out about her together, shall we?

We're checking out her bio from allmusic.com and other sources. She's Scottish...from Glasgow. Well, we know how Craig Ferguson knows about her. What else here? She's 21. Wow. Really young for such a confident voice and lyrics. She started playing guitar at the age of 12 after being inspired by Francis Healy. Who the what? Crap. Now I have to google Francis Healy (sounds like an indy film... "Googling Francis Healy." Is Judy Greer in that one?) Ok, Francis Healy is a guy. And he's the lead singer/songwriter for the Scottish band Travis. Hey, that's a good band Glen Campbell just covered their song "Sing" on his new album.

Back to Amy (which also sounds like an indy film title. Starring Amy Adams.) She taught herself how to play guitar by using info on the internet instead of taking proper lessons. Her first gigs were in coffee houses, but she soon gained slots opening for, ahem, Travis and Paulo Nutini. She then got signed to the same label as The Killers (one of her favorites) and Razorlight. She also wrote a song, "Poison Prince," which was about Pete Doherty, formerly from the Libertines and currently from drug arrest rap sheets. How about this: at one point in the UK, her debut album knocked Radiohead's "In Rainbows" out of the top position. She's also performed on the same stage as other female UK artists Duffy and Amy Winehouse.

I'm totally sold now. (Ok, I was sold the minute I saw and heard her on Ferguson. But this additional info doesn't hurt any...)

Here are the lyrics I promised:

So called Mr Rock And Roll
Is dancing on his own again
Talking on his phone again
To someone who tells him that his balance is low
He's got no where to go
He's on his own again

Rock chick of the century
Is acting like she used to be
Dancing like there's no one there
Before she never seemed to care
Now she wouldn't dare
It's so rock and roll to be alone

And they'll meet one day
Far away
And say I wish I was something more
And they'll meet one day
Far away
And say I wish I knew you, I wish I knew you before.