The solo career of A. Smyth is starting to take off.
A. Smyth has been writing and performing music under different guises for more than a decade. His last band, Vann Music, achieved notable success, appearing at Ireland’s biggest music festivals (Electric Picnic, Longitude), scoring a commercial radio hit (Tina) and the criminally undervalued ‘Boy‘.
They featured on prestigious TV shows (Other Voices) and worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry (Stephen Hague, producer – Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Robbie Williams).
Smyth wanted to explore the impact these pressures were having on both him and his relationships with those around him, rather than feed these experiences.
As a result, his new songs delve into a shared experience – a sort of modern burnout. ‘Coming Back To You’ is his third release, following Be There in February and debut single Into The Darkness, last January. All three tracks were recorded in Dublin and Wexford with drummer Dennis Cassidy (Selk), bassist Dara Higgins (The Jimmy Cake) and producer Darragh Nolan (Asta Kalapa).
Clip via A. Smyth
This is his third release of the year, so he is nothing if not prolific. Following on the heels of his two previous successful releases, comparisons with Ryan Adams have reared their head once again. It’s a raucous track that further highlights Smyth’s ability to flit between genres.
Sounding as radically different as it is familiar, the rollicking punk-infused track calls to mind The Replacements and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
A. Smyth will take to the road this summer with festival appearances at Indiependence and Castlepalooza already in the diary.
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