Our Little Secrets set for spotlight with an excellent first album
Date Published: {J}
Our Little Secrets who play the Róisín Dubh on Friday, May 21, is the brainchild of Dublin-based songwriter Rhob Cunningham, who has been praised by reviewers for his “pastoral laid back folk”and who has gathered 12 of his songs together for his debut album.
The first song released from the Rhob’s record was Good Or Bad Thing, which is available as a free download from ourlittlesecrets.ie. The next single, Daylight, is being released this Friday, May 7.
“I’ve been playing these songs for years,” says Rhob. “Good or Bad Thing was one people always whistled afterwards and gave me good feedback about. Daylight is the song that I’m happiest with.”
Although all the songs were written by Rhob, he has chosen to release them under a band name. Is there any particular reason for this?
“Is there a reason behind anything?” he asks. “I can give you some excuses! I played gigs around Ireland plenty of times under the name Rhob Cunningham. When it came to looking at the album, as whole, it wasn’t just ‘Rhob’ and it made a lot more sense to call it something. If you wanted a blurb, it would be to focus on the songs rather than the singer.”
Indeed, it isn’t just Rhob who performs on the album – he has assembled a very impressive crew for Our Little Secrets. The album features guest vocals from two of Ireland’s premier songwriters, Cathy Davey and Lisa Hannigan. Rhob is currently supporting Cathy on her Irish tour.
“She’s doing this Bare Bones thing, lovely stripped back stuff, and I’m blessed to be able to hear the new songs,” he says. “They’re all amazing. I jumped up a gig in Wexford and played tambourine on Reuben and did backing vocals.”
Lisa Hannigan is also a friend of Rhob’s and someone he’s also hit the road with as well as doing backing vocals on her debut album, Sea Sew.
“When Lisa first started assembling the album she wanted to play a lot of the songs live,” he says. “She’s an amazing guitarist but at the start, before she recorded the album, she just wanted to focus on the singing. So I played a wee handful of gigs with her and some of her wonderful band. All of them I would describe as an inspiration.”
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.