- Words Josephine Amstad
Glaswegian artist Broken Chanter releases his second album 'Catastrophe Hits' that looks beyond the pandemic.
Despite what its title suggests, Glaswegian artist Broken Chanter, real name David MacGregor, doesn’t want his latest album Catastrophe Hits to function only as an elegy to the pandemic. Instead, the album looks outward, taking stock of the state of the world and touching on issues that plagued us before the pandemic came around. Even so, the project is expansive in its ability to uplift; Broken Chanter has created an album that emanates positivity through its heartening melodies and lyricism.
Discussing the new album, Broken Chanter shares: “I didn’t want to have an album that spent it’s entire running time reflecting on the past year and a half. Folk need a lift. They don’t need to relive the pandemic, and the associated trauma, right now. It’s impossible to avoid completely, but it’s not ten songs about cutting about the house – despite being written almost entirely in a box room/glorified cupboard in my flat.”
The pandemic came at a period of productivity for Broken Chanter who fit in a UK tour, BBC Quay Session, various festivals, and record promotion before COVID struck. Instead of letting the disruption affect him, he got to work and produced Catastrophe Hits. Rich with addictive hooks and killer choruses, the album was well worth the wait.