“Ordinary Woman opens softly with sincere vocals over guitar strings, the tune builds into uptempo percussion and trumpet melodies” – Hot Press
“Cormac Looby’s ‘Angel, Baby’ is an exploration of life’s complexities. The track is a soul-stirring narrative woven from threads of nostalgia, candid reflections and bittersweet melodies” – Curious for Music
Cormac Looby is a singer-songwriter from Co. Tipperary. He draws inspiration from a range of artists including Mick Flannery, Bell X1, Phoebe Bridgers and Sam Fender. Cormac combines elements of folk, pop, and rock; with introspective and honest song-writing.
Cormac’s debut single ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ was released in 2020, independently amassing over 20,000 streams and featuring on BBC Introducing and RTÉ Radio 1 Recommends. This was followed up by his second single ‘Feel Good’ that same year. 2022 heralded the release of Cormac’s debut EP, ‘Things We Don’t Control’, recorded with a full live band at the Black Gate Studio, Galway. The singles taken from it, ‘Patriot’ and ‘Hard-wiring’ also featured on RTÉ Recommends and BBC Introducing respectively.
In support of the EP, Cormac and his band toured extensively, playing venues such as Fiddler’s Elbow London, Róisín Dubh Galway and two sold-out shows Upstairs at Dublin’s iconic venue, Whelan’s. They concluded the year with a headline gig in the Workman’s Cellar, Dublin and a hometown show in Cahir, Co. Tipperary.
In the intervening period, there have been two more singles; ‘Lobsters’ and ‘I Don’t Want To Let You Down’. In February 2023, Cormac was chosen as a nominee for the Irish Music Month ‘Local Hero’ with Radio Nova for the latter of these singles. That same year, he played the renowned Ruby Sessions in Dublin, sharing the stage with Bombay Bicycle Club, as well as supporting folk musicians David Keenan and Maria Kelly.
December 2023 saw his biggest headline show to date in the main room at the Workman’s Club. Cormac and band returned there during summer and also made an appearance at Mountshannon Arts, Forest Fest and ‘When Next We Meet’ this summer.
He has shared the stage with two of Ireland’s finest folk acts, Ye Vegabonds and Susan O’Neill.
2024 will see the release of his debut album; ‘A Perpetual State of Irony’. Consisting of ten brand-new tracks, Cormac and his live band have teamed up once more with the Black Gate Studio in his most ambitious and exciting project to date.
The first single off that album, ‘Angel Baby’ released in early May and picked up success with RTE Radio 1, Hot Press, Beat 102103, Pure Mzine, Unhappier, Corks Red FM, The Beat, Curious For Music, LMFM, RTE 2XM and many more, his most recent single ‘Ordinary Woman’ released in the summer and has almost 10,000 streams and picked up support with Pure Mzine, RTE Radio 1, Hot Press, Indie Revolution with the recent single ‘Losing You’ gaining almost 4k streams and many more making Cormac a hot one to watch.
A PERPETUAL STATE OF IRONY (ALBUM)
A Perpetual State Of Irony is an album that is an introspective journey through themes of anxiety, death, grief and more, told through raw, personal, honest songwriting. The title is taken from a quote from Irish comedian Tony Cantwell’s podcast, a quote that was something along the lines of “I lived the first twenty-seven years of my life in a perpetual state of irony” that everything anyone said or did had to be turned into an ironic, piss-take situation. I was twenty-seven myself at the time of listening and I’m not sure anything had ever resonated with me as much as when I heard him say that. The album is all about becoming more self-aware and wondering why I do and say the things I do, why I have always been inclined to steer people away from deeper conversations. These sentiments are explored most in tracks ‘Joke’ and ‘Crutch’.
Following the 2022 EP ‘Things We Don’t Control,’ this album marks significant growth both sonically and lyrically. It spans a wide range of sounds, from the guitar-driven indie pop/rock of ‘Losing You’ to the stripped-down folk of ‘Rust’. It is as much a musical exploration as it is a personal journey. The album is a reflection on navigating life, revisiting past mistakes, and looking anxiously toward the future — with a faint glimmer of hope. It is an album for anyone who is grappling with their own path and searching for meaning in the turmoil of existence.
The album was recorded at Black Mountain Studios Dundalk, with strings tracked at Stiuideo Cuan, Spiddal, and guitar at the Clinic, Dublin. It was mixed and produced by Liam King from the Black Gate Studio, Galway. The record has been mastered by Pete Maher Mastering (U2, The Killers, Damien Rice).
LUCID DREAM (SINGLE)
‘Lucid Dream’ was inspired by the line, “it’s like watching a funeral on YouTube,” which I wrote after witnessing through a laptop screen as my father delivered a eulogy at the beginning of the pandemic. It was a surreal experience. The song tries to capture the confusion and disorientation that defined that period, while also delving into the mental struggles I faced during the same time.
The track was recorded at Black Mountain Studios Dundalk, with strings tracked at Stiuideo Cuan, Spiddal, and guitar at the Clinic, Dublin. It was mixed and produced by Liam King from the Black Gate Studio, Galway. The record has been mastered by Pete Maher Mastering (U2, The Killers, Damien Rice).