CELEBRATING the release of her self-titled second album, singer and actress Bronagh Gallagher and her band have announced a week of shows in Ireland. Derry born Bronagh got her big acting break in The Commitments movie as one of the feisty backing singers. Since then she has appeared in You, Me & Marley, Divorcing Jack, Pulp Fiction, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace to name a few and can currently be seen as Sandra Prince in BBC Three’s comedy series Pramface.
It is eight years since the release of her debut album ‘Precious Soul’ which featured collaborations with Brian Eno with John Reynolds on production duties. The actress explained that the new album has been years in the writing process, “I spend a lot of time on my own, in hotels and travelling, its eight years since the last record and I’ve taken it very seriously, I know what is involved this time and I’ve had expert advice at hand because most of my good friends are musicians”
For the new album Bronagh brought together her favourite musicians and some close friends from rock’n’roll royalty here and London. They include the brilliant Conor Brady (Guitar), Graham Hopkins (Drums and percussion), Clare Kenny (Bass), Justin Carroll (Hammond Organ and Wurlitzer), Shelly and Jordan Bukspan and Paul Byrne (Backing Vocals), Michael Buckley and Ronan Dooney (Horns), and rehearsal and recording began in Optophonic Studios in Dublin in February 2011.
“They just came and put in the rehearsal time and the work, the thing just took on legs, I had held on for my supergroup to be available and it just worked” she enthused.
Bronagh’s singing and storytelling will take the listener on a journey from Ireland to Paris to Berlin and then onto California, “I spent six months in Los Angeles and a lot of the ideas for the album cemented there”, she explains. “Magical nights unfolding wonderful stories” in the ‘City of Angels’ were inspirational as was witnessing the darkness and ganglands of Mexico City.
As producer on the album Bronagh’s use of analogue recording equipment pays homage to the sound and essence of the great producers of the 60s and early 70s like Phil Spector’s ‘Wall of Sound’ or Shadow Morton work with The Shangrilas. “The records that I love sound live, like the room they were recorded in, they have longevity. Music like that is very personable and easy to connect with and not overproduced”, she says.
Inspired by these musical masters, and with her hand chosen band of musicians, Bronagh has given her new recording a unique voice and style of its own. “It has been phenomenal and one of the happiest times of my life” the singer concludes.
Bronagh Gallagher and her eight piece band play Dolan’s on Thursday May 24. The album is on release the following day.
