Virginia has been compared to numerous other singer/songwriters, some obvious and others not so - a track from her first album "The Music" features string arrangements by Anne Dudley and has recived over 2,000 downloads from peoplesound.com, where they liken her to a female Nick Drake. Writing for "Q" magazine, Lucy O'Brien described Virginia as "an assured songwriter with songs of understated and direct emotional exploration". The first single reached the Radio One playlist.
Back to the present, and a recent dotmusic review reported comparisons to Dido flitting from table to table at The Heavenly Social when Virginia and her band played in early 2001, but places the music more in the new "folktronica" genre where she is closer to Badly Drawn Boy.
Virginia released her new album "Levers
Pulleys & Engines" in June 2001, distributed by Proper
Music (formerly Direct Distribution). The album is out on her
own label Paraphernalia, as she follows the precedent set by numerous
artists who have taken control of the way their music is produced
and presented.
The album features Virginia's live band, which includes former Lightning Seeds & Judy Tzuke keyboard player, Ali Kane. Together, they are due to appear with Emmylou Harris in Beyond Nashville. Before then, they will be playing at numerous venues around the country.
"Understated yet direct emotional exploration - an assured songwriter. When MacNaughton lets the melody rush in on tracks like Unfinished Business, she plays to her full strength." Lucy O'Brien, Q
"Mix Beth Orton with Beth from Portishead and you have a good idea of where MacNaughton is coming from. She has a wonderfully clear voice while Anne Dudley has arranged the strings to particularly good effect." Dee Pilgrim, Top
"Her perfectionism is almost spiritual. Not one you can afford to skip over - this woman's going to be in the all-time-classic stakes very soon." Le Fevre
"Together these songs spotlight contrasting aspects of the work of a very talented musician, leaving behind a clear impression that her breakthrough to success is a question of when, rather than if." The Guardian
