On 15th October, Dublin based poet and folk musician Christian Wethered releases his debut album ‘Mon Petit Jardin’. Having already gained acclaim on the Irish music scene, the new album once again showcases his talent as a multifaceted acoustic artist with immense depth.
As well as being an acclaimed musician, his debut poetry book, ‘Harbour’ also won the 2021 Melita Hume Prize and his album eloquently showcases both those passions.
While his music has been described as beautiful Nick Cave-esque soundscapes, his new single ‘Don’t Be Surprised’ puts me more in mind of Leonard Cohen…who also had his poetry published. It has a distinctly French feel, with Gainsbourg being one of his influences, and it wouldn’t sound far out of place alongside some of those more contemplative acoustic artists of the late 1960s and early 70s.
The French influence is something Christian touched upon when talking about the album:
“The album is about loss and abandonment in the context of suffering from M.E. (Myalgic Encephalitis). It’s predominantly a folk/ alternative album and also has a retro French vibe (Gainsbourg, Dutronc, Barbara), which derives from when I was living in France. The album is ostensibly about a break-up in France, so the French Chanson went hand in hand. The session players included Soda Blonde’s drummer Dyl Lynch and Basciville’s Cil Byrne, both experts in their trade.”
His eloquent music stands up there with the best and is sure to see his fanbase extended beyond the Irish shore with such entrancing lyricism as this.
Mon Petit Jardin is released on 15th October.
More here: https://christianwethered.com/