Author: Breffni Banks

Recorded between Vienna and Dublin, ‘New England’ is the third single from Shane Ó Fearghail’s new album ‘Born From Tradition’. Released 23.04.2021, the single is busy making waves. Along with the accompanying video, animated by the author himself —  ‘New England’ is an honest account of a shared history.  Self penned, the song is a ballad of reflection — written from the perspective of a boy who looks back across the waves of time and tide in search of understanding.

The catalyst for writing ‘New England’ was the Grenfell Tower fire disaster in 2017. The history of imperialism its driving force — Brexit was its motivation. Since its release, the single has received national radio play in Ireland, Austria and Germany, along with local radio plays around Europe and North America. For a six minute plus folk song that weighs heavy — it is real positive for original new music and the folk tradition.

Shane is an Irish Singer-songwriter based in Vienna. An animator by trade, from Dublin his musical style fits neatly into the Irish Indie Folk box. Likened to, REM, Neil Finn (Crowded House), Rufus Wainright III and Ron Sexsmith, it is easy to see where his songwriting loyalties lie. Irish music however, is his first love.

‘Born From Tradition’, is Shane’s newest long play. Now with four albums and three EP releases to his name, this new release is an Irish folk album in mirth and measure, and is a collection of songs that comes back to that idea of home and roots.

A quiet ballad based affair, the foundations of Shane’s new album were laid in the Dublin mountains early in 2020, and finished during lockdown in Vienna. ‘Trasna na gCianta’ — a song in Irish and Shane’s first single from the new album, was released 21.09.2020. It has received radio play in Australia, Canada, The US & UK; with extensive radio coverage in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ireland. It was named in RTE’s — Irelands national broadcasters, top ten picks two weeks running

‘Born From Tradition’ was recently shortlisted for ‘Best Album’ at the CeltCast Fantasy Awards in the Netherlands. ‘Ná Bí Buartha’ another track from the album was selected in the ‘Best Song’ category.  Winners to be announced in June 2022.

WEBSITE
www.shaneofearghail.com

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/user/ShaneOFearghail

SPOTIFY
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KU8ymkiySyRtUEZ0P0y0c

FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/shaneofearghailmusic/

INSTAGRAM
https://www.instagram.com/shaneofearghail/

iTunes
https://music.apple.com/at/artist/shane-%C3%B3-fearghail/680910962

Photo: Sabine Mann

On the 8^th Of May 2021 (Mallow based) brand new to the scene singer songwriter Tracy Connolly released her first single entitled ‘The Bloods’. The track serves as a powerful rebel song about an old Irish Battalion.

Her music is a perfect hybrid of Country/folk and alternatively with an underlying message encouraging authenticity and self creativity. Within 1 hour of being available for download, the track went to No.1 on the Country iTunes chart for 3 full days. ‘The Bloods’ was written by Tracy Connolly and she is also the executive music producer to her own music. Pat Barrett is the music producer and bass guitar on the track along with Mo O’ Connor on lead guitar. The song is available now to request on all digital retail providers by iTunes.

Irish Americana duo The Remedy Club premiere their Chaplinesque video for ‘Fire And Gasoline’ on 17^th May filmed by the duo and edited by videographer and long – time friend and collaborator,  Steven Dempsey. It is one of the tracks from their recently re-released critically acclaimed album ‘True Hand True Heart’.  The album was recorded and produced by 5 time Grammy winner, Ray Kennedy (Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams).

‘Fire And Gasoline’, written by Kj McEvoy (with Aileen Mythen & Ray Kennedy) takes on a rootsy Fleetwood Mac groove with bruised pride and regret and reveals a character whose dreams and aspirations have gone up in smoke because of their various addictions and inner demons. There are many themes covered in the album, however, including, “love, loss and a longing for unity and peace in place of division and building walls between us.  Ultimately the songs are about humanity’s compassion and kindness over power and greed and finding that connection with ourselves and others.”

www.theremedyclub.ie

‘I Want Liberation’ is the second single from Irish songwriter Enda Gallery’s forthcoming ‘LIBERATION EP’, released through his label WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD. It is potently danceable, and Gallery serves us a track which is a welcome relief from the horrible experiences of the past 18 months, absolute in its joyfulness and irresistibly playful. This is a song that unites the body, mind, and heart through the desire of liberation from the severe conditions of our world.

Earlier this year Enda Gallery reached a pivotal point in his career. The singer-songwriter had released his acclaimed debut album ‘The Journey to Zero’ in April 2020 under the name ‘delush’, a pseudonym which allowed him to continue working under his own name as a writer, producer, and co-manager for fellow Irish artists; Tolü Makay, Strange Boy, and Willzee as well as collaborating with other artists across Europe. However, the alias created a personal dichotomy for the songwriter, wherein the artist was essentially separating from the self. With his newest release, Enda Gallery recalibrates and when the chorus hits he soars “I want liberation for myself, are you with me? I want liberation for you too, can you feel me?” Like much of his work, it’s poignant and powerful but welcoming as well.

We have had to face the worst of our minds throughout these stressful times. Our bodies have been kept inside, isolated from the human touch that we need and love, witnessing so much horror, within our own lives and in the news and media. The partnership of existence and humanity has been called into question and on ‘I Want Liberation’, Enda Gallery seeks to find a kind of clarity that aligns the guilt and shame that feeds off our personal desires in grueling time like these, with those same experiences which shape us and subsequently unshackle us. It is a familiar message for the songwriter who is not afraid to grapple with the spiritual concerns of our world, and his newest single is a step into the muddy waters of personal emancipation.

‘I Want Liberation’ is out now, Friday 14th May, via WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

Buy/Stream “I Want Liberation”: https://found.ee/IWantLiberation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endagallerymusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/endagallerymusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/endagallery/status/1337544847733952512
YouTube: http://bit.ly/2OmGRLK
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/3uOFGp0
Apple Music: http://apple.co/2O0wqgK
YouTube Music: http://bit.ly/3uPpT9r

The anonymous duo Gorgeous Wrecks continues the pursuit to spread their eclectic brand of electronic, guitar laden pop to anyone that will listen with the release of the second single ‘Strong Suit’ from their debut album ‘Gentle Art of Persuasion’. A mixture of rock, electronica and synth pop, the album was produced and mixed by Ger McDonnell (U2, The Cure, Kasabian, Martha Wainwright) in Dublin, and mastered in Abbey Road Studios in London by Frank Arkwright, and is scheduled for release in September 2021.

‘Strong Suit’ leans heavily on influences such as The Blue Nile, The Notwist, Massive Attack and Portishead, whilst the surrealism is taken up a notch with the accompanying video as Frank (the man with an orange for a head) follows on from his star turn in Gorgeous Wrecks’ first release ‘You Carve Your Name’, with his journey through Dublin in pursuit of his muse.

Gorgeous Wrecks hope for a speedy vaccination rollout so they can finally rehearse a live set that they can bring to as many open venues as possible in 2021.

Having been touted as indie pop darlings on their self-titled debut and, with a sophomore album released, All Tvvins have been quietly working away on new music remotely during lockdown. “Our new songs feel ‘already familiar’ to me,” says Adams “Out of the box familiarity, like old songs that just never got around to being written. We’ve taken a step back and re-evaluated what is important and relevant to us as a band. As a lyricist I have always tried to create abstract structures, story frames that move in and out of each other and give an overall mood, something you can wear. I am feeling more satisfied now than I have ever been within some of these songs.”

“I guess we are moving into the third phase of the band, we really have made the time to create the next story.” says Lar, “This time it all came back to a simple set up, with instruments and a trust in each other to produce the sound of this band,” he adds, “We are effectively two people in a room writing music without hesitation or fear of failure, we are believing in ourselves and what has been created. I feel these songs sound like a band confident in their output and vision – it feels like we wrote songs that were the reason we started the band, they are hopeful, joyful and honest representations of our existence with a vision of escape and a joy from life. This is our next chapter as a band and its never felt better.”

‘Something Special’ is the third of these new batch of songs, following on from ‘Hope It Don’t’. The track is out via Faction Records on 14^th May 2021.

Derry band Amberlight return with their latest offering, the haunting lush production ‘Only Love (A Fisherman’s Lament)’.

The duo of Lauren Doherty (vocals) and Paul Casey (guitarist/producer) are joined as usual by Liam Bradley (drums & percussion), John McCullough (piano & Hammond), Nicky Scott (double bass), and Damien McGeehan (fiddle).

‘Only Love (A Fisherman’s Lament)’ is released on 21/05/21 across all digital platforms.

@amberlightband

paulcaseymusic.com

Clare Sands, the Cork-born fearless feisty fiddler, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has been crafting new macaronic works to be released throughout the year, with her second single in a four part series out now. ‘Abair Liom do Rúin (Tell Me Your Secrets)’ by Clare Sands, featuring Steve Cooney and Tommy Sands, is out now.

The four-part series, titled ‘Tírdreacha agus Fuaimdreacha’ (Landscapes and Soundscapes), spans over four seasons, in the four provinces of Ireland, and features Clare Sands alongside four different collaborators: Susan O’Neill, Steve Cooney with Tommy Sands, Brídín, and Liam O Maonlaí. The project sees Sands embarking on an exploration of the nooks and crannies of Ireland’s sights and sounds, whilst breaking the boundaries of Irish music in an inviting, invigorating way.

Following on from her first release of this four part series with Munster collaborator Susan O’Neill ‘Carry My Song’, a BBC and RTÉ Radio One playlisted roar of the Atlantic, Sands has embarked on a musical expedition to Ulster, to continuing pushing the boundaries of Irish music in an inviting, and invigorating way.

It is often said that Spring roars in like a lion, and out like a lamb.

When Clare Sands found herself in a 500 year old off-grid cottage up the side of a mountain in Donegal, she wondered whether she had set herself up for slaughter with two lions of Irish Folk music, Steve Cooney and Tommy Sands.

Clare laughs: “The lamb and lions were soon dancing to the same tune, elevated by that potent Irish potion (starts with a ‘P’ ends with an ‘oteen…’).”

She continues: “We wrote and recorded the song over three days and nights by candle-light to create a mantra that growls from the belly and sings from the heart, ‘Tell Me Your Secrets’ (Abair Liom do Rúin) is a transcendent, traditional trance-like ode to Spring that pulsates and captivates the young and the old, pulls and pushes the brave and the bold.”

The mesmerising video, created by emerging visual artists and twin sisters Liadain Ni Bhraonáin and Kasia Kaminska was shot in the warm thaw of a typical Irish spring morning, that started with an icy sub zero blizzard of hail and snow.

The energetic performance explores Ireland’s rich soundscapes and landscapes through rise and fall, roots and their sprawl, navigating through uncharted territories where Irish and English languages, Traditional, Folk, and Contemporary musics meet.

‘Abair Liom do Rúin’ by Clare Sands featuring Steve Cooney and Tommy Sands is out now.

Spotify – https://tinyurl.com/43vbhyke

This project is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClareSandsCeol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claresandsceol/

www.claresands.com

Four Nights has just released ‘Not This Time’. This is the third single to be taken from the Dublin-based artist’s forthcoming debut EP, due out later this year. It follows up three well-received singles offering listeners a taste of what to expect from the EP.

‘Not This Time’ is a slow-burning confessional about intense heartbreak, and the significant daily struggles that arise within it; obsessiveness on social media, insomnia, gut-punching realisations.

As Tommy Buckley AKA Four Nights explains, “I started writing ‘Not This Time’ years ago. I made multiple versions of the track with a variety of melodies and structures, before I parked it due to listener fatigue. It was only when I was finishing out my EP last year that I realised this song would make a perfect finale. Once it had its place, the whole thing came together in a day. The track’s inspiration doesn’t come from any romantic relationship I’ve had in the past, but more so from loss in general. Most people have been through it and a lot of those will have struggled in the way I do; usually overthinking to the point of madness in bed at night. It’s universally relatable.”

Tommy began writing his debut EP last April. Two months prior he had switched off from music completely, setting off to travel South-East Asia for a year. Only five weeks later he was forced to come home due to the pandemic. He released his debut singles in November and quickly gained 100k+ Spotify streams and heavy rotation on national radio. He followed this up with another track in February which gained placements on the ‘New Pop UK’ and ‘Chilled Pop Hits’ editorial playlists on Spotify.

‘Not This Time’ is out now.

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

Several hundred people worldwide have registered to join human rights group Afri’s annual famine remembrance event. The annual famine walk usually takes place in the Doolough Valley in County Mayo, but due to Covid restrictions, it will take place online this year in the form of a 90-minute live stream event featuring a stellar line-up of talks, discussion, music and poetry. The free event runs from 7 pm-8.30 pm on Saturday, May 15^th,and is organised in association with Trócaire.

The line-up includes renowned author and historian Professor Christine Kinealy, Director of the the Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University in the United States. Folk singer Lisa O’Neill and harpist Brídín will perform, and acclaimed poet Paula Meehan will share some of her work. Other speakers include Donegal teacher and activist Rose Kelly, and Trócaire’s interim Head of Programmes Blanca Blanco will discuss Women in their Place – a new short film on violence against women and the fight against corporate land grabs in Honduras. The host for the event is campaigner, author of Hitching for Hope, and host of the Love and Courage podcast Ruairí McKiernan.

Speaking in advance of the event, Afri coordinator Joe Murray says that while he’ll miss the annual trip to County Mayo, he is looking forward to marking the annual event online.

“We’ve been doing this walk since 1988, and the interest in it is growing each year. Covid forced us to go online last year, which was a revelation as it allowed an international audience to be part of it all. We were taken aback by the huge interest from abroad, with participants joining from 11 countries including India, El Salvador, Timor L’Este, Brazil and the United States. We’re repeating that formula this year while also looking forward to getting our feet back on the ground next year.”

“The event is all about remembrance and solidarity. Recalling the struggles of our ancestors and what they went through and drawing parallels with the injustices in the world today. Irish history teaches us about oppression, colonialism, violence, and migration. We feel it is important that we honour those experiences by remembering them and by acting to prevent and address similar travesties that are occurring around the world today, whether it be in Central America, Palestine, the Mediterranean, or closer to home with homelessness and direct provision.”

“While these are big issues, we are also celebrating the spirit of people to resist, persist and unite against the odds. We can see that spirit in people responding to Covid and we will be celebrating that at our event with some powerful words of inspiration and music and poetry. We’re grateful to partners Trócaire and to Irish Aid, Concern, IQFA, and all our supporters for making this event possible and we are looking  forward to a very special evening.”

The online Afri Famine Walk event takes place on Saturday May 15^th from 7pm to 8.30pm. Registration is free, and details can be found at www.afri.ie