LISA McHUGH - Wildfire

Another Glasgow girl, who now calls Ireland home, is LISA McHUGH. She has never looked back since moving to Enniskillen to pursue her Irish Country music career a few years back. With total respect to the legends of the scene from generations ahead of her, Lisa found her place, and is now firmly establishing her own mark on the Irish Country music scene.
Her latest album. “Wildfire” is certainly proof of that. When talking with Lisa prior to the album release, she promised, ”some modern, some classics, and some fun”. She sure has provided that.
Several tracks have already been pushed out as singles, including the catchy CD opener, “Mean”, and her cover of Aussie group The McClymonts’ “Favourite Boyfriend Of The Year”, which she debuted on the glitzy Irish TV Country Awards Show.  There’s also the duet with Nathan Carter on “You Can’t Make Old Friends”, as they recreate the old Kenny & Dolly hit.
The classics include “57 Chevrolet”, Shania’s early hit “Dance With The One” and Carlene Carter’s “Every Little Thing”.  She gives new life to “Livin’ in These Troubled Times”, which Crystal Gayle had a hit with, way back in the early 80’s before Lisa was born. (I suspect Lisa’s version will be more likely to have been inspired by Maura O’Connell’s later version). Then there’s Dylan’s “Banks Of The Ohio”, most famously a hit for Olivia Newton John. Lisa has stripped the arrangement right back and it comes out as a beautifully haunting folk ballad, a style which I really think Lisa excels in.
Another song that picks up on the same style is the Victoria Shaw song “Never Alone”, which I first heard The Rankin Family do a few years ago. I never thought anyone could deliver such a stunning version as they did, but Lisa certainly comes close.
The fun comes over in “Bring On The Good Times”, written by Donegal singer songwriters Jody Gallagher & Mickey Joe Harte, and also on “Wildfire” which is the title track to the album.
There is a “hidden” track, an acoustic cover of Ed Sheerin’s “Thinking Out Loud, which Lisa delivers well.
It’s another winner from Lisa McHugh. Her fame is certainly spreading like “Wildfire”.