Dublin’s revered melodic rock quintet Sack are delighted to announce the 25th anniversary re-release of their album Butterfly Effect on double vinyl, CD and digital platforms on Friday April 8th, 2022, through the London based record label Dimple Discs. This new edition will feature re-mastered audio as well as new sleeve artwork designed by Sack vocalist Martin McCann.
‘Butterfly Effect’ was originally released in Ireland only on CD by Dirt Records in 1997 so this re-release marks the worldwide debut of the album, as well as its highly anticipated release on vinyl for the first time.
Recorded in Dublin with Stereolab producer Paul Tipler and Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee (U2, R.E.M, The Killers, Robbie Williams, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, Weezer, Modest Mouse and Taylor Swift) on co-production duties, this was an album that saw the band veer towards a heftier guitar-based sound.
Album opener “Climb Mine Powerhouse” sets the tone with its scratchy guitar resonance underpinned by warm bass lines and a galloping drum beat that succinctly evokes the childhood yearnings of the song’s lyrics. ‘Butterfly Effect’ also sees main lyric writer John Brereton move away from the polemic of the band’s debut album ‘You Are What You Eat’ into personal territory, reflecting on themes such as touring (Sleeping On The Floor) living away from loved ones (Wish You Were Here) and relationship failings (Latitude).
The album’s best-known track is the sublime “Laughter Lines” – a song that Morrissey noted at the time “should be Number 1 forever” in an Irish Times interview – penned by lead vocalist Martin McCann and guitarist Dave Dorgan, which opens with the killer couplet, ‘I drink to forget but I only remember, that day when you said it was over forever’.
In his book ‘Buried Treasure’ 2FM DJ Dan Hegarty says “The album’s urgency and impact is still as impressive today as it was on its release day. The tracks may come in the form of would-be Indie anthems, but they are bursting with the essential ingredients for any great pop tune. Here is another musical injustice – McCann is one of the most gifted and unique vocalists that Ireland has ever heard.”
John Brereton on the making of Butterfly Effect
In the latter half of 1995 we came back from a year living in London, slightly subdued after a whirlwind 1994 where our debut single “What Did The Christians Ever Do For Us” gained Single of the Week honours in NME and Melody Maker which led to a deal with London based indie label Lemon Records. We moved house to London and spent a great year touring the UK, recording our debut album ‘You Are What You Eat’ and hanging out in Camden hostelries with some of the leading lights of the Britpop scene, but our timing wasn’t right, so we returned, regrouped and refocused our energies. After losing a keyboardist but gaining a guitarist we re-emerged with a set of songs that were the backbone of ‘Butterfly Effect’, songs which excited the people behind Irish label Dirt Records. We had worked with Paul Tipler during our London sojourn and always loved his work with Stereolab, so he was invited over to Dublin to helm the album along with our bass player’s brother, Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee, who had recently turned his hand to producing after some successful years as guitarist/songwriter with Compulsion. The studio was in the bowels of an old building on Dublin’s quayside and was quite basic equipment wise, but Paul and Garrett definitely got the most out of what was at our disposal. The album came out in 1997 on CD only (vinyl was losing it lustre at this time) and only received an Irish release which was disappointing considering the quality of the record. We have always believed in these songs (along with some truly wonderful and supportive people like Dan Hegarty amongst others) and are now delighted that it’s coming out with a proper release worldwide and on beautiful double vinyl too!
Martin McCann On his experience making Butterfly Effect
I didn’t expect to be an apprentice builder when we recorded Butterfly Effect. The studio in the basement of ‘Space 28’ on Dublin’s North Lotts was a pile of rubble with a control room! Hi tech in B&Q!
SACK BIOGRAPHY
To date they have released three albums, You Are What You Eat, Butterfly Effect & Adventura Majestica. The band’s sound has been described as ‘Frank Sinatra fronting the Pixies’.
Formed from the ashes of Lord John White the band came to notice with their strong melodic songs, biting political lyrics and new wave, guitar driven sensibilities. Their first single ‘What Did the Christians Ever Do For Us?’ was single of the week in both the NME and Melody Maker. In 1993 they signed to UK Indie label Lemon Records, who released their first album ‘You Are What You Eat’.
After living in London for a year (1994) the band moved back to Ireland where they recorded ‘Butterfly Effect’’ which was produced by Stereolab producer Paul Tipler and Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee. The album – released on the Irish label Dirt Records — contained one of their most memorable tracks, “Laughter Lines”, a song Morrissey said, “should be Number One forever” and which appeared on the soundtrack to the movie “Carrie 2: The Rage”.
At Morrissey’s behest Sack opened for him on his 1999 Oye Esteban World Tour taking in mainland Europe, the UK & Ireland, and the USA. The former Smiths singer also included “Colorado Springs” (from ‘You Are What You Eat’) on his hand-picked NME CD “Songs to Save Your Life” before inviting the band to open for him again on a European tour in 2003.
Released later that year, ‘Adventura Majestica’ came out on the band’s own Jetset Junta label and saw the band incorporate new sonics into their sound, culminating in a title track that received a white label remix by Irish techno icons Decal.
Pre-pandemic, Sack played the Jerry Fish stage at Electric Picnic, the Night for Aware gig in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre and opened for High Llamas/Microdisney legend Sean O’Hagan at The Grand Social. 2021 saw the band return with a brand-new single “What A Way To Live” and record deal with new indie label Dimple Discs (home to Cathal Coughlan, Eileen Gogan, Damian O’Neill and the Monotones and others). The single received massive nationwide airplay in Ireland as well as many great accolades across the board including Newstalk’s Tom Dunne declaring it his ‘single of the year’.
