Peco - Harbour Master
Info: Peco McLoughlin was born and raised in Kildare but has lived in Dublin for many years. Before going solo he was the singer-songwriter behind folk-rock act Valentine Black. The band enjoyed critical acclaim for their album Desire Lines and the three singles lifted from it. They toured Ireland and internationally on the back of it, including shows around the UK, The US, and Canada.
Well I have to say this is the type of contemporary folk music that I like listening to, grounded in the genres classic origins but with a familiar modern twist. I enjoyed both 'Harbour Master' (above) and 'Grace Isn't Easy (below) for different reasons, the first has a confident swagger to it with Peco's easy on the ear yet forceful vocals riding over the heavy steel strings of his acoustic guitar. The song was a melting pot of Mike Scott, Dylan's 'It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)' in terms of music, and vocally recalling Don McLean with the modernity coming courtesy of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's 2005 acoustic-based album Howl.
Peco - Grace Isn't Easy
'Grace Isn't Easy' again nods strongly to Bob Dylan, like a worthy B-Side to 'Like A Rolling Stone', and again I'm getting The Waterboys vibes on this one too. The lyrics impress too, a cynical dreamer who wants to be happier but is weighed down by the folks running the show, McLoughlin observes; 'They're putting hands on bibles, they need it for survival, the irony is not lost on me...it's hard not to digress from god to politics, and our human legacy is a history of domination.' There's something terribly authentic about Peco's music and it has a distinct Irish blas throughout which makes it really feel like he could be the real deal, a strong contender for the local folk throne which will also appeal greatly beyond these shores.
Peco releases his debut E.P., And So I Arrived At The Start in early 2016.
Look / Like / Listen & Follow:
Website: http://www.pecomusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pecomusic
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/peco-music
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pecomusic
