The Choice Music Prize nominees have album number four recorded and will preview tracks this weekend ….
Limerick band Windings were Choice Music Prize nominees for their album ‘I Am Not The Crow’ in 2013 (unofficially, they came a close second). The band recently returned to the studio to record their fourth studio album, ‘Be Honest and Fear Not’, due out this Autumn on Out On A Limb Records.
The new double A-side lead single ‘Stray Dogs’ / ‘Helicopters’ is a departure from what has gone before.
Stray Dogs conveys a sense of foreboding lulling you into a nice hazy psychedelic groove until the guitar breaks wreak havoc with your siesta.
Helicopters is a downbeat collaboration between Windings and producer Naive Ted. Stephen Ryan sings, “I pray at night that I won’t hear that helicopter flying over my house”, a lyric which is self-explanatory to anyone living in Limerick city. It’s a one-off release not destined for the album.
Some reviewers have described the new Windings’ lead single as “dank and desolate”. Limerick Post asked the band’s front man if ‘Stray Dogs’ is a true reflection of what is to come from ‘Be Honest and Fear Not’?
“Ah, well, not across the board, no. But there are a couple of other songs there in that kind of vein. But there are polar opposites within the one album as well.
“We like to keep ourselves guessing in Windings, if we get too comfortable in one particular style, it’s time to move on from it, we reckon.”
The album will take the band in a new direction according to Windings main songwriter.
“Well, i suppose the album title reflects the lyrical content to a degree. I’ve been working a lot in a song writing capacity with young people in Limerick, and honesty it is one of the things I would always encourage in lyric writing. So I thought I better walk the walk!
“Also, I have to say working a bit with the Rusangano lads and hearing the degree of lyrical sincerity and honesty they have delivered on that album, it was inspirational to me really. Musically, we’ve pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones to a large degree, so there’s a lot of different sounding stuff for us on this album.”
As well as leading Windings, Stephen is a part of the Music Generation project, mentoring young people in the art of song writing and musicianship. He also featured on Rusangano’s new album playing guitar on the single ‘Heathrow’, a role that he is clearly enjoying.
“Lovin’ it! No singing, just get up and plug in! They’re a pleasure to watch and to play with, good buddies too. I’m delighting watching the reaction to them in the world at large, they deserve all the attention and plaudits they are receiving.”
From the initial solo project in 2005 of the former giveamanakick, frontman, Windings has taken listeners on a musical journey, gathering like-minded souls over the years to produce the band’s pinnacle to date in ‘I Am Not The Crow’. Expectancy is growing for the follow up album due this Autumn on Out on a Limb.
“Windings’ ambition to grow as songwriters and musicians is as much evident as their ability to confound,” adds label owner Ciaran Ryan.
Of what may lie ahead with the new album ‘Be Honest and Fear Not’, Out on a Limb states that the band has eschewed pop sensibilities as they go in search of a more saturnine and desolate sound.
A chance to hear what the band has in store with album number four comes this Saturday May 21. Windings play Kasbah Social Club, Dock Road with support from Limerick acts Cruiser and Anna’s Anchor.
The live set will feature material from the first album from 2005 (an underrated lo-fi classic, in this scribbler’s opinion), right up to tracks from the as yet un-released record.
“We’re giving it all a go! We’re excited, cos some of this stuff, old and new, we’ve never played live as a band before. So it’ll be a lot of fun!”
If the sense of foreboding in Stray Dogs/Helicopters is too much for you today …. you can always check out previous single Neverwood … its got a band of musical hamsters in the video …
