Mayo singer songwriter, Faraway Martin, has a voice that according to Hot Press Magazine ‘leaves an instant mark on the listener’. He is releasing a live version of his most recent single ‘The Lights Turn On’.
Since the release of ‘The Lights Turn On’ last April, the track was playlisted on RTE Radio 1, 2FM, iRadio as well as across local radio also. The track reached No.5 in QBS Radio’s Top 40, the largest station in Qatar, Faraway Martin’s adopted home. He was the only unsigned act in the Top 40. Faraway Martin’s presence in the music scene has grown substantially. He has established himself both at home and abroad, with regular appearances as a live act in Qatar, where he supported Boyce Avenue and Bazzi. In Ireland he has also opened for Aslan, Mick Flannery, Mundy and Hermitage Green.
In this live rendition recorded in Ballinrobe Library, a 200 year old church full of character and outstanding acoustics, Faraway Martin is joined by his bandmates; James Conway (Guitar), Luke O’Malley (Keys) and Gerry Heneghan (Drums) as well as the new addition of strings, a first for the songwriter. Dervilla Hynes (Cello) and Eibhlin Gallagher (Violin) “I was very fortunate to come across Dervilla and Eibhlin online in the Mayo Musicians group. The girls are fantastic, they’ve played everywhere from the Olympia to Broadway in New York. I feel they really brought a new lease of life to the song.”
The song represents the different stages of a couples life together, with a poignant ending from the penultimate line ‘the lights turn off’. Martin reminisces “I love playing this song live. It’s the type of song that really engages the listener. When I look up after singing the last line of the song, there’s often a few tears in the room. I love making that connection with the people.”
‘The Lights Turn On’ is the first single from Faraway Martin’s debut EP, which is scheduled for release later this year. Once the pandemic passes he will celebrate the release with live performance, continuing on from his previous appearances on the main stage in Whelan’s, The Workman’s Club and a sold out gig in the Róisín Dubh for his first headline show.
Faraway Martin has a voice that is the perfect vehicle for a pop song yet carries depth and maturity throughout which really connects with the listener. ‘The Lights Turn On’ is a deeply relatable song that disseminates a lifetime full of memories in under 4 minutes. Listing influences such as Damien Rice, Paolo Nutini and Coldplay, it appears that Faraway Martin has found his own sound through his latest release.
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