Ciaran Lavery is a true singer-songwriter. His songs are like the short stories that he kept in his on-the-road bedside book collection.
Ciaran Lavery is a singer-songwriter out of Northern Ireland. Be sure to check out his music, including his new album Sweet Decay. Photo credit: Andy Hughes
For many artists today, it’s all about the hit. How do I get my song on the radio? How do I get the most downloads or sell the most albums? Writing music has become more of a process than an art in some instances. You can read more about the state of today’s hit-making in my blog post:
For a true singer-songwriter like Lavery, it’s as much about the process as it is about the finished product. As Lavery shares in his interview with Baeble Music, to be an artist, sometimes you have to go to difficult places. The good news for Lavery, is that going to those difficult places has resulted in some beautiful music.
Lavery is about to hit the road in the U.S. to promote his new album – Sweet Decay. Keep reading to find out more about this talented musician, his music, and where you can find him on the road. Click here for tickets to his upcoming show in Philadelphia!
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ciaran Lavery is from the northern part of Ireland. Born in a small village in County Antrim called Aghagallon, you can definitely sense his Irish roots in his music. His solo career has spanned the past five years, and during that time he has racked up over 80 million streams on Spotify.
Ciaran Lavery has been making music for over five years as a solo artist. Photo credit: Andy Hughes
In 2016, Lavery won the Northern Ireland Music Prize for his 2016 album Let Bad In.
THE MUSIC
Lavery’s latest album – Sweet Decay – was released on April 13th. The album features everything from the faster paced “Everything Is Made to Last” to slower songs like “Wicked Teeth”. Many of the songs deal with darker topics.
When writing the songs for the album, Lavery focused on the lyrics. He wanted the songs to be more mature, so that they represented where he currently is in his own life.
The process for recording Sweet Decay took longer than typical. The album was recorded over the period of a year. Recording sessions were held in Camden Studios in Dublin, and were spliced in between being on the road touring. Lavery was also able to work in the studio with the session musicians that played on the album. Unlike most singer-songwriters that record their vocals by themselves, working in the studio with the musicians allowed him to build out many of the songs as they were recorded.
As for the music itself, one of my favorite tracks from the album is “To Chicago”. The song manages to be catchy and keep your toe tapping, while still being a beautiful melody. The video is also very creative and memorable.
On the darker side, the song “Beast At My Door” allows Lavery to expose his own mental health battles. The song “13” while more upbeat, also has a haunting sound and a memorable video to go along with it as well.
Lavery also explores the topics of love – although from a darker point of view. The song “Two Days In Savannah” is a dark romance novel turned into a song. The lyrics start out “Two days in Savannah with your name in my gut/On a bed full of crossed out line and cigarette butts”, and the words “If I pull my heart out, tell me that I’m good enough” repeat throughout the song.
The title track – “Sweet Decay” – speaks to romantic love. While expressing a hope and desire for love to last a lifetime, it also recognizes that voice in the back of your head that tells you it might not last forever.
THE TOUR
In support of the release of Sweet Decay, Lavery is heading out on his biggest tour. He recently wrapped up shows in the UK and Ireland, and will be heading out on the road in the U.S. in Canada. His first stop in the U.S. is at Boot & Saddle in Philadelphia on June 20th. Boot & Saddle is a great room and an intimate venue that only holds 150 people, so you’ll have the chance to see Lavery up close and really hear his music. Tickets are only $10.
Ciaran Lavery is getting ready to hit the road in the U.S. in support of his new album. Be sure to check him out in a city near you. Photo credit: Andy Hughes
For more information on Ciaran Lavery and to purchase tickets for his upcoming shows, visit his website at www.ciaranlaverymusic.com.
Want to know more about Ciaran Lavery? Planning on checking him out at one of his shows? Please comment below or e-mail me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
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