7/10

When Natalie McCool released her well-received 2016 studio album 'The Great Unknown', it was met with enormous love and appreciation from numerous tastemakers. But in the years since, we have seen McCool take a more laid-back approach to releasing new music. Usually opting to share her work one single at a time over a few years, we have watched as her direction and aesthetic slowly builds into something more adventurous and compelling with every cut. And now she returns to deliver her latest full-length 'Memory Girl', a record that looks to compile her material into one digestible nugget of joy.

This process of bringing together songs from an extended period of time can usually go one of two ways. Either it creates this almost compilation-like feel where each track rarely gels with the one that follows it, or can make for a cohesive and succinct offering altogether. Thankfully, 'Memory Girl' falls into the latter category as McCool offers up one blistering and sweeping release after another. With its notable nods to the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Haim, she has this sheer vibrancy to her sound, something that keeps the momentum ever moving forward and creating an enjoyable listen from start to finish.

Natalie McCool may not be the household name that she deserves to be, but 'Memory Girl' certainly makes a bold statement about the quality of her music. She has this revived and effervescent pace to her songs, a direction that builds and swells when it needs to, and showcases some of her best work to date.