Hello?!?.......facts..... Amy Macdonald is successful in over 15 countries, she has sold more than 3 million copies of her debut album, she writes all of her own songs and has had no. 1 singles and albums all over the world. Quite where you get your facts is beyond me,...saying that Amy is only successful in her 'native' Scotland is untrue and an insult to a true talent. Clearly, had you listened to Amy's new album, you would have noted the 5 or 6 clear hit singles and perhaps noticed that the legend that is Paul Weller also plays on the album, he at least does recognise true talent. I suggest you have another listen, this time without the cotton in your ears......you just lost one reader, at least!

my oh my...

here is a correct review by Paul Lester at the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/g4zb

MacDonald is hardly "essentially anonymous outside her native Scotland" - she's well known here in Germany for a start.

God, why do people get so hideously offended when someone they're a fan of doesn't get a 5-star review?

@factual999

saying that Amy is only successful in her 'native' Scotland is untrue

Maybe that's why the review never stated that.

Clearly, had you listened to Amy's new album...

Where do you get the idea that the reviewer never listened to the album?

...you would have noted the 5 or 6 clear hit singles...

It'll be interesting to see how many of those actually become hit singles.

...and perhaps noticed that the legend that is Paul Weller also plays on the album

We'll have to agree to disagree on Paul Weller, who in my opinion would struggle to be any more boring.

How can you say that one review is 'correct' and another isn't? Because one agrees with you?

I've got no opinion on Amy MacDonald either way, but reactionary posts against any review with the temerity to disagree with you are just daft.

No particular fan of her music but It's a biazarrely parochial view that she's essentially anonymous outside Scotland. Perhaps it may be more accurate to say she's anonymous among the London-based music twitterati?

Even a cursory glance at sales figures across Europe in Music Week would suggest she made a massive impact with her debut album while getting little publicity compared to other over-hyped acts.

There's a difference between being anonymous and being unsuccessful. I'm not implying she's had no success - if you read the first sentence of the review again, you'll see that I said her first album was the 10th best selling in Britain in 2008.

However, selling a lot of albums doesn't automatically equate with being well-known. I agree that she has plenty of fans, but she hasn't cracked the household-name barrier - unless you're one of those fans, you've probably never heard of her. Whereas, say, Duffy - who also sold a huge number of albums that year - is familiar to of milions of people, including those who've never bought a single record by her.

Saying Amy M is "anonymous" isn't a value judgment, it's a fact.

Billboard: You're the biggest thing in Switzerland since the cuckoo clock -- what do they see in you over there?

According to a question posed to Amy Macdonald by Billboard magazine , they don't think that your 'anonymous' tag is a fact.

Caroline - it is a value judgment, as she's clearly not anonymous outside her native Scotland. There's whole swathes of Europe where she had incredible success in 2008/2009 let alone the UK. Perhaps your definition of fact is a tad loose and confined to your media circle?

@CarolineSullivan. BURN!!!!!!!!!!!

Taxi for Sullivan! Amy has played in load of festivals around Europe, sold millions of copies worldwide and features continuously on the UK's biggest radio show (no Caroline - that isn't Radio 1...)

Amy Macdonald has sold more albums than Florence and her machine, La Roux, Little Boots, Pixie Lott et al combined.

Need i say anymore?

I liked the first album, it has a mature soothing and uplifting quality - but things have moved on in the solo female genre - I'm not refering to X-factor ballardess or wierd american fashion victims, but more towards your folk inspired Laura Marlings and Kate Walshes - I shall still buy this album on the grounds that she has a unique voice and clearly knows how to play her instruments - but get a grip people!

Anyone heard her version of Dancing in the Dark? its almost as good as the original....

Hello again,

That she's sold millions of records isn't in dispute - the first sentence of the review refers to the fact that her first album was the 10th biggest seller of 2008 in the UK.. So I already know she's commercially successful..

But, as I said in the comment above, being commercially successful doesn't mean she's a household name. Far from it - she hasn't reached that critical mass of recognition that transform successful pop singers into actual superstars. She could walk down any street in the UK outside Scotland and not be recognised. Hence "anonymous outside Scotland", okay?.

Yesh - Dancing in the Dark is awesome - I agree.

The dispute here is not successful v anonymous. It's that places exist "outside Scotland" that aren't England. Ask any German or Swiss person who Amy Macdonald is and they will Know? There's a whole big world out there.

@ Caroline

But like I suggested in my original post Amy MacDonald has a huge fanbase here in Germany and is well-known. Some examples:

- Die Zeit is Germany?s most widely read weekly newspaper. It has an exclusive interview with her:
http://www.zeit.de/newsticker/2010/1/29/iptc-bdt-20100129-10-23699894xml?page=all
- Der Spiegel is the biggest news magazine in Germany. MacDonald?s album is one of only four that it reviews every week:
http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/musik/0,1518,682503,00.html
- Her previous concerts were sold out in Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin and had to be moved to new venues because demand was so big. Around the city there were a huge number of posters to advertise her coming in February.
- She won an Echo award ? a German national music award - in 2009 as Best International Newcomer as well as two Swiss Music awards for Best Song International and Best Album Pop/Rock International in the same year.
- She's listed on the cover of the current edition of German Rolling Stone, which also includes an interview with her and includes her picture on its very homepage: http://www.rollingstone.de/
- The German national daily paper Tagesspiegel also has an interview with her this week:
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/Stadtleben-Konzert-The-Dome-Prenzlauer-Berg;art125,3046382

I could go on...Believe me, people would recognise her here. Like I say, I?m not a fan of her music, but I can tell when someone is talking rubbish.

Can't argue with the idea that there are other places outside Scotland that aren't England. Good work.

I can, and do, however, dispute the 'ask any German or Swiss person...' claim. It's simply not true.

The author's distinction here between successful and anonymous and is clear and, more importantly, valid.

It's a solid album, like its predecessor. More subtly produced, and lyrically more mature. Still, greatness is a way off yet.

Caroline i'm slightly concerned here.
Now this is an honest question and in no way a dig.

Are you completely xenophobic towards every country that's not England or are you just a bit dim?

I sincerely hope it's the latter.

She could walk down any street in the UK outside Scotland and not be recognised. Hence "anonymous outside Scotland", okay?.

Have you got a breakdown of her UK sales figures which backs up this Scottish bias or have you made it up on the spot?

I dont really want to get involved in arguments about Amy Macdonald, suffice to say that I think her music is great, however, I have tried two copies of A Curious Thing now and I cannot get either of them to rip on my computer. I've not had this problem with any other cds so I wonder if anyone else has experienced this. I can't say I'm very impressed with it as am unable to sync to MP3 player.

@Chappersboy: This is an honest answer: Caroline is actually American.

This Internet argument makes me smile.

This is an honest answer: Caroline is actually American.

She'll have the same take on geography as George Bush then - that explains everything

Oh, Samson, you cut me. But you're partly correct: when I first moved here, I didn't know much about the Britain that existed outside London. But I've been here a while now, so I understand that Scotland is up there [pointing in vaguely northerly direction] somewhere. Hope that redeems me.

@samson1234: That's right, because all Americans are exactly the same. Wasn't someone on here earlier accusing the author of being xenophobic?

This review is tripe, in my opinion.

I'm listening to the album now. The production is superb and Amy's lyrics and vocals are brilliant.

Another London-media-centric biased write-up. The BBC's review is "A triumph". Indeed it is. Go wee lassie !!!!

Ahhh rosie swash.
Xenophobic, in simple terms, is a word which implies fear from the culture and customs of a country different from your own.

The word you're looking for would be stereotype.

The good old guardian, proving that education is not a requirement in life.