Next Month, Eamon O’Leary releases his third album ‘The Silver Sun’ on Reveal Records (15 January 2021). A genuine, poetic folk singer, songwriter-guitarist, Eamon released his acclaimed second album “All Souls” in 2018 on which our reviewer, Neil McFadyen concluded:
Eamon inhabits two worlds. There’s the New York trad Irish scene, where his knowledge of the music and technical skill make him a popular choice for the area’s trad musicians. Then there’s the altogether different, but not entirely separate world of the singer/song writer, where his contemplative poetry intrigues the curious; and the intricate yet seemingly sparse arrangements seem to effortlessly ensnare our attention. It’s been proven before that the two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, but finding the right balance takes a master’s touch, and Eamon O’Leary has that touch. All Souls seduces the senses with songs that individually open from a distance and come rapidly closer, but collectively flow along like a gentle river current. An album that’s sure to become a firm favourite.
Eamon O’Leary works that same magic on ‘The Silver Sun’ which you can listen to in full and read his track-by-track below. Before that, watch his new video for Bernadette, for which his multi- instrumentalist-label mate Benjamin Lazar Davis is responsible for the beautiful cinematography and Bridget Kearney for additional cinematography and video editing.
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Track by Track: The Silver Sun
The Living Stream
If the recording of this album had a guiding principle it would probably be the old paradox that ‘everything you add takes something away.’
With that in mind we tried to maintain the simplicity of the two voices telling their stories throughput.
I’ve long been a devoted admirer of Benjamin Lazar Davis and everything that he brings to his musical endeavors. Here the song flows out of his pump organ intro.
Bernadette
A melody I’ve been living with for years. When the words took shape I thought the record title might come from here – either ‘signal fires’ or ‘the silver sun’
No Birds Sing
For some reason when Elise and I would sing this together it would sometimes come out as ‘no birds sing’ and sometimes as ‘no bird sings.’ Perhaps fittingly on this take I notice that we sing both.
Passersby
This one raised a question for me – when sung, the words ‘ours’ and ‘hours’ are indistinguishable. With songs not being primarily a ‘written’ form is it necessary to make clear which one was intended?
Sister in Song
‘Sister in Song’ takes the form of a series of questions. (I expect many other songs do likewise although at present the only example that comes to mind is the US national anthem – the comparison might end there.) It’s a song of intimate familiarity and shared histories, real or imagined, but also of otherness.
For Another
I thought I’d like to try playing my mandola on this one.
Elise thought she would try singing ‘around’ some of my lines instead of ‘with’ me.
Ben thought the piano would bring something to these verses.
Thus an arrangement is born.
My brother sent me a drawing of his – half songbird, half lion. I told him that I had a song that mentions both.
Coal-black Road
As sometimes happens (although rarely) the universe furnishes you with a couple of lines to get you started. ‘Do you feel the bite / Do you hear the moan…’ were present one morning upon waking. As though solving a riddle it occurred to me that ‘the wind’ could possibly answer both conditions.
No Eye
Great to have my old friend Stephanie Coleman play some fiddle here.
Houses and Lands
For those interested in such things I’m indebted to my old friend and comrade (and fellow Dubliner) John Doyle for the guitar tuning used throughout these songs. For this last song the instrument is returned to ‘standard’ tuning.
Here and elsewhere there are inevitable echoes of the old folk and traditional songs that I’ve spent much of my life learning and singing.
Credits:
Eamon O’Leary – voice, guitar, mandola
Elise Leavy – voice
Benjamin Lazar Davis – pump organ, mellotron, electric guitar, electric bass, piano
Stephanie Coleman – fiddle (8)
Recorded by Bryce Goggin at Trout in Brooklyn, NY
Mixed and Mastered by Luke Moellman
Produced by Benjamin Lazar Davis and Eamon O’Leary
Drawing by Colm O’Leary
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