Pine the Pilcrow progress to top of the musical tree

It is two years since atmos-folk four-piece Pine the Pilcrow launched their sophomore EP Only Ghosts. Much like the group’s self-titled release in 2016, their second body of songs was poised and elegant, promising a place alongside ambient Irish acts like Lankum and The Gloaming.

Pine the Pilcrow’s music has always been emotive – each track in the band’s catalogue conveys its tone and meaning before a lyric is sung.

While that remains true for their latest single, If It’s True expands upon early sounds and ideas. It announces that over the course of the last twenty-four months, the band has grown more dynamic and refined.

With earlier Irish dates postponed for the foreseeable future, Pine the Pilcrow remain set to play Galway’s Black Gate Theatre on Wednesday, June 24.

Understandably, it is difficult to plan too far ahead right now – but the new single is a statement of intent to progress regardless of the country’s current circumstances.

If It’s True was released on streaming platforms on April 2. The song builds slowly from its minimalist base of rich grand piano into euphoric harmonies and delicate drums that dominate its latter stages. With an emphasis on sound quality, pianist Kevin Murray is quick to note the impact of producer Alex Borwick on the project.

“With Alex, he gets on board with the project so you’re not paying him for time,” Kevin asserts.

“He works with you before even recording. He came to my house in Ballybay and we set up a mini studio there to record demos of three songs. Everything was settled – structure and parts were nailed down... I really wanted to use a grand piano on this recording.

“As I mentioned I’m from Ballybay but I was also aware that in Monaghan town, they have a grand piano in the arts office. They were kind enough to give us the piano and the time in the office for nothing. We were able to use their piano to get a lovely nice sound and then we did a lot of the other vocals and overdubs and stuff in Alex’s home studio.”

Alex’s work extends from acts like The Young Folk to Catfish and the Bottlemen. The band’s core sound remains the same on If It’s True, but there are marked improvements in terms of structure and fullness.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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