ULTAN CONLON
ULTAN CONLON
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In your hands you hold ULTAN CONLON’s new album, ‘Songs of Love So Cruel’ due for release on the 27th of September 2013.
Single ‘The River Flows & the Woods Creep’ is out on the 20th of September.
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In these times of short attention spans and fast-paced environments it is refreshing to have an artist like ULTAN CONLON whose ability to produce deeply affecting songs demand that you sit down and slowly listen over and over again. With his style deeply rooted in traditional rock and roll, country and folk, Ultan offers a visionary and comforting musical experience with a soothing and uncontrived vocal delivery.
‘Songs of Love So Cruel’ is Ultan Conlon’s second delivery following his debut album ‘Bless Your Heart’ (2009) which garnered high praise from listeners and reviewers alike; “The most impressive Irish debut since Damien Rice’s O“.
Unlike his Irish traditional music counterparts, ‘Songs of a Cruel Love’ dips into the experimental water of a concept album. The songs, while capable of standing on their own, insist that they be heard together from beginning to end. From the storming rock of ‘A Place of Sanctuary’, to the gentle country tinged ‘Dance to ‘Paper Roses’’ and on to the stirring duet with long-time friend and musician Sabrina Dinan on ‘The River Flows and the Wood Creep’ (new single) these songs change style but are never out of place with one another.
Perched on the cusp of turning thirty, Ultan envisioned himself as an older man attempting to reignite his marriage; resulting in the introspective and opening track ‘In the Mad’. “I believe sound, image, and great voices come and go but great songs will always remain” – the offerings of this new album does not fall short of this. Presenting relative situations and common themes in coherent prose wrapped in traditional country rock and folk styles, the album showcases Ultan’s progression and ability as a talented reflective songwriter and proficient musician.
Ultan’s native home of Galway, Ireland, offered the birthplace of the album with the recording and completion taking place in Co. Westmeath, Ireland and overseas under the watchful eyes and ears of collaborator Eoin McCann and Colin Elliott (Richard Hawley) in his Sheffield, UK studio.
Ultan spent August touring the country and closed his summer solo tour with a fantastic performance on the Body & Soul main stage at this year’s Electric Picnic.