The Human Demands

The Human Demands is the fifth studio album by Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald, and was released on 30 October 2020.

The album includes the singles "The Hudson", "Crazy Shade of Blue", "Fire" and "Statues".

I was sat at my dining room table with my friend Matt and he had played me a musical idea and the lyrics came to me without even thinking about it.

[5] Macdonald wrote "Fire" as the first song following her marriage to footballer Richard Foster in Las Vegas.

[6] The song has been described by Gabby Smith in House of Solo Magazine as displaying a "softer side" to Macdonald and her songwriting, claiming "melted by marriage, the track is a heartfelt homage to her husband and remains one of the most romantic pieces ever written by the acoustic guitar-playing indie rocker.

Displaying her impressive vocals and impeccable talents, staccato guitar riffs elevate the love song for a pleasant pop-rock feel".

[7] During a release party stream on her official YouTube channel, Macdonald said of the song "Fire is about those special relationships we have in our lives.

The composition of the song has been compared to "a Springsteen-esque skill for depicting snapshots of ordinary life with a poetic slant".

Whilst interviewed about the song, Macdonald said "I look back and think of the times I spent in that house with my family and our dog Jackson and I smile,” she says.

It has been described as "infused with a serenity that contrasts the energy of ‘The Hudson’, it finds Amy exploring another universal human experience".

[12] On 7 September 2020, Macdonald announced her UK and Europe tour on her social media profiles.