Later this month on 28 May, Ulster trio TRÚ will release their highly anticipated debut album No Fixed Abode, also one of our Featured Albums of the Month. In his review of the album, Thomas Blake noted the long gestation period: recording [of the album] took place between 2017 and 2020…time that is also reflected in the quality of the output, Blake: “…while it has all the energy befitting a first offering, it bears the stamp of quality usually reserved for seasoned artists.” He also makes the point that TRÚ are no ordinary band, it’s an album of “cultural and musical crossovers and switchbacks that by the end of the record have become one of the band’s hallmarks”, a characteristic also hinted at in the album’s artwork. “Such cultural cross-pollination is a novel and enticing way in which to enrich Ireland’s already vibrant musical heritage, and it shows the confidence of these young musicians.”
Albums like this are rare, so any extra insight from the band into its making is always a welcome gift. Today, and next week, we are sharing a two-part short film on the making of No Fixed Abode. Read more from band member Zach below and watch the first part of the film which also features the incredible Tommy Sands who we recently featured on the new single with Clare Sands and Steve Cooney …his appearance here is pretty magical, much like this album on which they cover his song County Down. There’s a touching moment in the film when Tommy performs County Down and is full of praise for TRÚ…”I love your version…you’re making that song accessible to different audiences, people who normally may not come to a straight sort of traditional or folk event then that takes that song by the hand into new and wondrous places.” Don’t hesitate in buying this album…Order it now via Bandcamp.
It’s emotional watching back this short film we made in 2018 to document the making of our debut album, ‘No Fixed Abode’. Now in 2021, it feels like peering into another world. The pleasant joy of physical closeness between friends on screen highlights the current lack of it in reality. Since the end of 2019, Dónal, Michael and myself have been in the same room as each other exactly four times, and yet somehow we’ve managed to release two EPs, a handful of singles, a podcast series, and are now set to release our debut album on 28th May.
We are a different band from the one we were in 2018, when we started the album. Our home has changed too. Northern Ireland, and our shared identity within it has been through yet another transformation. The songs remain the same, but the context around them shifts. Like anchors out at sea. From Gaelic Waulking songs and Scots lullabies to vengeful Japanese spirits and other mysterious characters, we draw our inspiration from centuries of folklore in Ireland, Britain and beyond. These are old stories told with a contemporary voice.
Pre-Order No Fixed Abode: https://truband3.bandcamp.com/album/no-fixed-abode-2