Roseanne Reid's world has changed in some dramatic ways since she released her hugely acclaimed first album Trails, and not just because of what she calls the “weird dream” of the lockdown years. But those changes have only helped to inform its delightful follow-up, as the widely admired Scottish singer-songwriter invites us to Lawside.


Last summer, Roseanne and her wife became the proud parents of a baby boy, who has, of course, reshaped their lives in the most joyful (and exhausting) ways.
Much of the new record was written before he came along, but the maturity and confidence in her song craft and delivery is there for all to hear, from the infectious, horn-laden opening single “Call It Love” to beautiful and tender pieces such as “All I Need,” Shine On” and “Made Just For You.”

“This album just sounds much more self-assured throughout,” she says. “I've been a bit bolder with the vocals. With Trails, they were blended a bit more, and this time they're front and centre. I'd say Trails was perfect for where I was at the time, but with this record, I feel that bit more confident with my voice. It's gotten stronger over time, and I thought 'Let's push that right up front.'”

The album is named after a residential district of Dundee, where the family lives. “Someone said to me the other day that Lawside almost sounds like a country and western title,” jokes Roseanne. “Most of the songs were written here, and it just felt right to mark that, and group them together for where they were written.”

There was another tangible change in the way she created the record. Whereas Trails was made in Brooklyn with producer Teddy Thompson in a lightning five-day burst, Lawside was closer to home in every sense. It was recorded in Perth, just south of Dundee, with producer, musician and fellow Scot David Macfarlane, and in a way that very much suited Reid's new life. 

“Dave owns the studio in Perth, so he's the engineer there as well,” she explains. “He's just a multi-talented guy, and a multi-instrumentalist, so he played on the album as well. It's fantastic to have someone like that just down the road. 

“We started it at the tail end of that time when people were still unsure about being in the same room together, and masks were still a thing. So we did it in segments. I've been in the studio a dozen times over the past few months, just layering instruments, and vocals and guitar. All my stuff was done at the very start, to build a foundation. 

“It's been a much more prolonged process, but that's worked well for me, especially with the wee one. It's meant I've not had to be away for the whole week. I can commit to a half day here and a half day there, so it's more manageable for family life.” She adds with a laugh: “I just think to myself every day, 'Where did the day go?! What did I do with my time before I had a kid?'”