Claddagh Records new signing Lemoncello have announced that their self-titled debut album will be released on Friday 3 May 2024. The album announcement comes as Laura Quirke and Claire Kinsella share their new single, 'Old Friend', along with a music video directed by Quirke.
Lyrically, 'Old Friend' asks what kind of conversations we would have with the people closest to us if we spoke to them as if we had never met them before. If we act as if it were the first time we spoke, what would we ask them? The song acknowledges that strange thing that happens when the people we love and are closest to become the people we are coldest to, and clearly challenges the contempt that familiarity can breed. 'My mother helped me up / And I barely noticed… But a stranger helps me up / And I send him flowers.'
The video for 'Old Friend' was inspired by the colors of the album art. Director Laura Quirke says: “We wanted to create a simple, eye-catching image to represent the sentiment of the song in a genuine way, without being too sentimental. We stopped dancing and opted for a five-minute hug—a subtle but direct reflection of the song's meaning. The video was also, in its own way, an experiment in contemporary art, since we had to hug each other for 9 hours a day to film it, with breaks only to check the smell of our armpits. The video begins abstractly, the close-ups of the bodies and the light are intimate and mysterious, creating an abstract and warm human kaleidoscope, which only reveals two bodies hugging at the end.
Watch the video for 'Old Friend' – BELOW:
The upcoming self-titled album captures the essence of Lemoncello's musical evolution and explores themes of growing into adulthood, resilience, and the sacrifices made for love.
The album, which covers nine tracks, chronicles the journey of learning to stand up for yourself: a process of learning to be the driver of your own life and to trust the instincts that once reigned after spending years of youth seeking approval, permission and validation from others. . Through intimate observations and uncomfortable questions with a healthy dose of joy, irony and humor, Lemoncello's irresistible charisma is present throughout the album.
This chemistry and dynamic are captured and amplified by the album's production at Analogue Catalog Studios, where the band recorded and mixed the album to 2-inch tape with producer Julie McLarnon at the helm. McLarnon, who has brought his analog recording philosophy and approach to albums by artists such as The Vaselines, Brigid Mae Power, Yorkston Thorne Khan, Lankum & Junior Brother, left a distinctively raw, unadorned and old-school stamp on the record. .
The band says of the recording experience: “Recording the album to tape seemed like the right way to capture the energy between us as a band. It's not recorded on tape to make a truly clean product – and that's not what this album is – it's an unfiltered document of a place and time. It was a pleasure to work with Julie. We didn't look at a computer screen the entire time we made the record. The best part about recording to tape is the limitations that come with it. – So this way we benefit from having to make decisions quickly and trust instinct and feel more than just technical “correctness.” Magic happens when you trust it.'
The inimitable alchemy that occurs when Quirke and Kinsella sing together is a prominent force on the record: the vocals are direct and defiant, cutting through a minimalist yet dramatic soundscape of cyclical, finger-picked guitar and earthy, gritty cello. These four main elements are lifted and driven by strong, dynamic string sections, soulful piano, dominant double bass progressions and compelling percussion – a singular sound embedded in Irish folk roots, led by out-of-the-box indie pop attitude. place.
Previously nominated for Best Folk Song and Best Emerging Folk Performance at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, the duo's spellbinding performances have also seen them play Dublin's legendary Vicar Street, the Irish Arts Center NYC, London's Bush Hall and opening for esteemed artists such as Lisa O'Neill, Sam Amidon, Glen Hansard and Cormac Begley.
Lemoncello has recently announced an extensive tour of Ireland and the UK, tickets for which are now on sale through limoncelloireland.com.
Track listing LEMONCELLO Lemoncello
Friday May 3, 2024 Claddagh Records
1. Always Neighbors
2. Sunflower
3. Michael Furey (I've had lovers)
4. mantelpiece
5. Hard truths
6. dopamine
7. All good men
8. Old friend
9. My love Lagan
![Lemoncello Announces Self-Titled Debut Album Out May 3, Shares New Single 'Old Friend' 83 Limoncello](https://musicindustry.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1710786955_245_Lemoncello-Announces-Self-Titled-Debut-Album-Out-May-3-Shares-New.jpg)
![Lemoncello Announces Self-Titled Debut Album Out May 3, Shares New Single 'Old Friend' 83 Limoncello](https://musicindustry.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1710786955_245_Lemoncello-Announces-Self-Titled-Debut-Album-Out-May-3-Shares-New.jpg)
Tour dates
Saturday 4 May – Dolans, Limerick
Thursday 9 May – Ulster Sports Club, Belfast (CQAF)
Friday 10 May – Cleere's, Kilkenny
Wednesday 15 May – Whelan's, Dublin
Sunday 19 May – Coughlan's, Cork
Thursday 23 May – Wexford Arts Center
Sunday 26 May – Spirit Store, Dundalk
Wednesday 29 May – The Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Thursday 30 May – The Grove, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Friday 31 May – Hallé @ St Michael's, Manchester (with Caoilfhionn Rose) Sunday 2 June – The Wight Bear, Southbourne
Monday 3 June – The Folklore Rooms, Brighton
Tuesday June 4 – Moth Club, London
thanks to our partners at www.xsnoize.com