Release of their debut album is a big relief for Salthill brothers

The Galway music scene really has something to celebrate with the release of People Street, the debut album from Salthill natives The Kanyu Tree. An album of undeniable pop hooks, it’s the work of Shane, Daniel and Oisín Cluskey. Daniel, guitarist and vocalist, is in ebullient form as the band prepares to take the stage in Kilkenny. The brothers have been fine tuning the album over the album for over a year and a half – how does it feel to finally release it?

“Just a relief,” says Daniel. “Our worst was problem was to keep on going back. Now we can’t do it! There’s still bits that we think could be slightly different but there’s nothing we can do about it! Which is the biggest relief.”

People Street is released by Sony Ireland, and the exposure a big label helped the band to get on daytime radio. But the sheer exuberance that greeted last year’s single Radio saw the band’s profile shoot way up.

“We literally finished mixing Radio and two weeks later [Today FM’s] Ray Foley played it,” says Daniel. “The power of the label, they just do that straight away.”

The follow-up single Shelf Life was then brought out to meet the demands of the band’s new-found fans.

“Radio was coming to the end of its cycle, so there was a bit of a rush getting that ready. Then we had even more pressure to get the album out. We spent the summer mixing the album over in England with Chris Potter, he did The Verve and Keane, and a couple of Rolling Stones and U2 tracks.”

The Kanyu Tree began life as trio, under the moniker The Cheerfuls. Along with the name change came an altered line-up. Shane, formerly lead singer and drummer, has stepped out as a dapper, nimble frontman. The decision was prompted by an appearance the band made on TG4.

“We saw that online and it kind of looked funny,” Daniel recalls. “Then we saw a couple of recordings of Shane at a gig and they just needed something to focus on. Me and Oisín[bassist/vocalist], we do a bit of singing but Shane is a great dancer, a great mover. He needs to be out the front; he was such a loss behind the drums.

”Another Cluskey has now entered the fray. The lads’ youngest brother, Ruaidhrí, now occupies the drum stool.

“We went through a few session drummers and they were all great, but Ruaidhrí started drumming and we said ‘why don’t we get him in?’” says Daniel. “On the road, it’s easier having Ruaidhrí as the drummer and he sings as well.”

“He’s really laid back, so he hasn’t brought any pressure or tension to the group. Then myself, Shane and Oisín – we’re institutionalised at this stage with each other!”

With the huge airplay, comes a certain expectation. Like The Stunning before them, The Kanyu Tree write insanely catchy songs. And, like the Wall brothers, they have the kind of cheekbones you could hang a suit off. How does the band feel about being touted as the next big thing?

“We haven’t really thought about it, to be honest,” says Daniel. “If we do well in Ireland, then we’ll have a good calling card for going abroad. If we do get to travel with the music, then that’d just be class. I don’t know how big you can get in Ireland; there’s only a certain amount of venues.”

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.