‘And You Are…?’

Margaret Healy is a member of the folkist revolution. Not too dissimilar from the laid back tones of Beth Orton, if a little less dense, she encompasses the more digital end of the singer songwriter spectrum, tending away from traditional acoustic guitar and voice towards drum machines and scratchy vocal effects. She sings in a polite, unaffected, child like, quiet way; lyrically engaging with a sort of slam poetry; spoken words over a backdrop of arpeggio piano chimes, breezing keyboards and softly clashing kettle drums.

Perhaps better served in a live situation, Healy’s music isn’t the most emotive on record. It’s more of a personal comment than a reflection, or so it would seem. Musically, her melodies are a little simple to the point of being predictable, even a tad cheesy (think ‘This Is Your Star’) thus leaving things a little sparse in places. However, the overall vibe after a couple of listens is that this is one artist with a musical identity all her own. This is most certainly not a follow-the-crowd record.

Charming, honest, in places raw, And You Are…? is a storyteller album, reveling in the softly spoken, tender tones of Healy’s voice and the gentle sounds she has surrounded it with.