Out Friday 5th April 2024 | PMB Records
Setting Sun, the highly anticipated new EP from beloved Scottish folk five-piece The Paul McKenna Band, will be released on Friday 5th April.
The six-track record is the band’s love letter to the folk music tradition and comprises the band’s take on some of the most admired and cherished folk songs in their music collections, which have been thoughtfully selected for the record.
Setting Sun sees the band apply their expressive style to a host of classics, adding their own contemporary, transatlantic spin on the material, whilst honouring some of their most major musical influences.
This EP sees the band, comprising Paul McKenna (vocals, guitar), Ewan Baird (percussion), Conor Markey (banjo, bouzouki, guitars), Conal McDonagh (pipes, whistles) and Robbie Greig (fiddle), shift the focus from the original material of their last couple of releases to the importance of the tradition.
The four yet unreleased tracks on the EP include The Paul McKenna Band’s take on the traditional Irish folk song, The Lurgy Stream and the beloved Irish reel The Wise Maid as well as Scottish folk legend Archie Fisher’s Western Island – a line from which the EP takes its name.
I Must Go is a track Paul uncovered in an old songbook as part of a commission for the opening concert for Celtic Connections two years ago. The show, entitled ‘Neath the Gloamin’ Star’, sought to celebrate how precious heritage is being taken forward into a new tradition. Paul updated the lyrics and added his own to bring it into its current form – a classic folk ballad which tells a tale of broken hearted lovers parting ways. It joins two previously released singles, Solid Ground and One Last Cold Kiss.
Paul McKenna said: “This EP sees us returning to our roots and celebrating Scottish and Irish songs that are really special to us. With Setting Sun we’ve allowed ourselves to indulge in some of the songs and music we’ve always admired, melding this with our trademark sound and approach, incorporating the folk, pop and Americana influences that our audiences have come to expect. We’re really pleased with the collection of songs we’ve put together here and we hope it will give people a chance to reconnect with some classics and enjoy the angle from which we’ve approached them.”
Formed in Glasgow in 2006, The Paul McKenna Band are known for their contemporary, dynamic signature compositions of Scottish and Irish folk music and passionate social conscience. The band’s expert playing is underpinned by Paul’s emotive vocals, which have drawn frequent comparisons to the great Dick Gaughan.
The band’s performance highlights over the years include Edmonton Folk Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival and Woodford Folk Festival as well as regular appearances at Celtic Connections. The EP was recorded at GloWorm Studios in Glasgow.
Setting Sun will be available to download and stream and buy on CD from Friday 5th April 2024.
