Pa’s rich palette of pictures through art, words and music
Groove Tube with Cian O’Connell
If you’re a fan of local buskers, regular acoustic performers at the Róisín Dubh or if you have ever come into contact with Galway’s singer-songwriter scene, it is likely you have, at one point or another, been captivated by the honest, authentic sound of Pa Reidy.
In an industry full of self-promotion and cynicism, the Clare native is truly as humble and unassuming as his music would have you believe.
Last week, Pa released Blood, the first single from his upcoming album You & the Moon. Though it is set to be his third studio album, this record feels like a new beginning for a man who isn’t very used to marketing himself.
Blood is minimalist but round – the song retains the intimacy and honesty that makes Pa such an impressive solo performer but he is joined on the album by a host of talented musicians.
Playing alongside him are Robert Kelly, Ella Partington, Anna Mullarkey, Martin Tierney, Devon Milley, Greg Walsh and Jordan Croaker.
“There are eight musicians on it in total so it’s fuller than anything else I’ve done,” Pa admits.
“We started recording over a year ago with a producer from Canada – his name is Robert Kelly. We rented out a rehearsal room for a couple of months last summer and set up our own studio.
“We had to borrow a lot of equipment and a lot of things were breaking and there were software issues as well… It took a while to get it together but eventually we got there and we started asking musicians to come in and join us.”
The single makes sense as the first taste of an album with multiple layers. Pa acknowledges the sombre nature of a lot of his work but Blood is more than just melancholy.
While the slower, sadder tunes play an important role, he emphasises the range of sound on the album.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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