Colin Macintyre - The Water

In The Water, Colin Macintyre (or the artist formerly known as Mull Historical Society) has crafted an album that is tantalizing and frustrating…he comes so close to creating something special. From the first seconds of its falsetto vocal intro, Famous for Being Famous is a staggeringly catchy bit of indie-pop. Stalker shifts from a jittery verse complete with a funky rhythm guitar into a forceful chorus that was made to be played live. Title track The Water is haunting and beautiful with Macintyre's restrained yet wounded vocals. Unfortunately, the record isn't so consistently rewarding all the way through and there are some eye-rolling lyrics that cannot be ignored, including the chorus of You're a Star: "You're a star / can't you see / it's inside you and it's free." The Water is endearing, playful, infectious, and other good things, but there are a few uninspiring detours on the way there. [Tobias Kahn]