The four year journey making debut album ‘Theory of Everything’
by Eric FitzGerald
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LIMERICK act Changing Trains is musician Paul O’Riordan and friends. The new album ‘Theory of Everything’ is the fruit of over three years of songwriting and recording at Music Hub Studios in Thomondgate. The lineup of Changing Trains is Paul O’Riordan, David Carroll, Neil Delaney, Robert Carey, Peter Delaney and Hannah O’Brien.
Paul O’Riordan returned to songwriting with his old bandmates Neil Delaney and Dave Carroll who were part of 1990s’ garage band Fuchsia who won a local band competition as teenagers in Doc’s Nightclub (Crush 87 to anyone under 30!). They went on to record a debut album called ‘Acoustic Youth’ under the name Newland Gesture. Paul became disenchanted with songwriting and gave up on music, leaving the other members to carry on as Red Eskimo.
“Looking back I know I was way too tough on myself. I’ve been obsessed by lyrics and melodies all my life but just became frustrated because I felt I couldn’t properly put across what was in my head,” Paul explained to Limerick Post this week.
It was only when Paul’s wife asked his to take his guitar down from the attic and play a few songs, that he was again tempted to write again. “As soon as I started playing again, I pretty much decided straight away I was going to write an album, I just didn’t know how I was going to do it.”
The first thing to come up with a name for the project and a name for the album. The name of the band became Changing Trains, symbolic of being on a journey.. then one day deciding to take a different path. The album title ‘Theory of Everything’ comes from Paul’s interest in physics.
“It is the search for one elegant theory that explains everything. In my own way I wanted to explain everything through the songs on this album.”
The album is a collection of finely crafted songs with superb vocals from Hannah O’Brien who gives a star turn throughout ‘Theory of Everything’. Also a massive contribution was made to the project by drummer Dave Carroll.
“Dave is the drummer but became the main producer by default. We worked very hard on the album and went very deep into it to get the music right. We felt that a female vocal could work in places but weren’t having much luck finding a vocalist until Hannah came in for a recording session and put down a vocal for ‘Won’t Let you Down’. It was one of those breathtaking moments that will stay with me forever. It was nothing to do with her range or power, it was her delivery, her understanding of how the story needed to be told. She was exactly what we didn’t know we were looking for, I suppose!!”
On its release ‘Theory of Everything’ went into the Top Ten on iTunes and Google Play. The album peaked at Number 2 on Google Play with Ed Sheeran and Hozier either side of the collective.
Paul remembers, “It was a bit of a weird feeling because at first I felt validated, like we were deserving of being mentioned in such company but then that just made us more frustrated, more determined to show we can consistently make good music and this was no fluke.”
And now it is time for Changing Trains to take this debut album on the road and play it live.
“We just can’t wait to start playing live. On a personal level though, I’ve my heart set on writing the next album as soon as I can.”
Changing Trains play Dolan’s this Saturday April 4.
