James Or’s earnest and introspective songwriting has been praised for its authenticity; earning him a place on HotPress’s ‘Ones to Watch’ listings and playing on stages with the likes of Frank Turner, The Coronas, Gavin James, Alexis Taylor, Hermitage Green, Twin Atlantic and more.
His music showcases a versatile artist of unique lyrical wit; always on the lookout for new meaning in the peculiarities of everyday living.
As well as reaching over 200,000k listeners on Irish and UK radio with his recent releases, James has featured on the An Irishman Abroad podcast with Jarlath Regan. He has played at Indiependence Festival six times and has received support from HotPress, IMRO, RTÉ 2FM, Today FM, Cork’s 96FM, WLR FM, Galway Bay FM & more with his previous releases.
His debut album ‘All The Beds We’ve Been’ which was recorded in the iconic Abbey Road Studios released in 2022. The album was made possible through crowdfunding by fans of his music, and reached its target in less than a week. The album dealt with themes of grief, isolation, acceptance and recovery which everybody can relate to.
Written in the early days of the pandemic, James’ latest single, Wild, is one of endearing optimism: a celebration of the quietly beautiful moments that live on amidst headline-consuming chaos. Wild’s infectious and instantly hummable chorus melody stays with the listener; as does its underlying message: that good things can still happen in shit times.
Recalling the songwriting process, James says; “We were a bit shell-shocked coming out of the first lockdown – but then our niece was born and things started to make sense again. It felt like taking in a big gulp of fresh air for the first time in months. She became a lifeline for us all”.
Opening with an uplifting guitar hook and Elbow-esque strings, Wild is a song of real heart that succinctly captures the mood of an unprecedented time (evident in lyrics like “a crowd of strangers making up the rules as they go; odd jobs and favours”, written about the frontline staff working tirelessly against unthinkable odds.)
“I wrote Wild for everyone that wasn’t there with us; for the people who had to witness special moments from afar. I know everyone was craving connection at that time, and I think our niece’s arrival gave us that.”
