A Country cottage. 250 miles from Dublin. The field near-by has 20 sheep and one cow. All bemused as to where the strange sounds are coming from. Shaky sits in front of the fireplace reading a 2 month old edition of the Cork examiner. Dara is up-stairs clipping his toe-nails. The cottage is rattling through to it's very foundations with an indistinguishable sound coming from Myles guitar. Record producer Herbie Macken (credited for working with artists such as Neil Finn, Bic Runga, Sinead lobhan, The Devlins, BellX1 and Damien Rice, just to name a few) sits opposite Myles wearing headphones and sporting a large grin that suggests he's all too happy this take. The mixing desk is a party of energetic sliders dancing up and down to the rough mix of a track the band wrote only the day before. One of 6 new songs since the band packed their bags locked themselves away in this remote hide-away in Schull, the farthest point south in Ireland and "conveniently the farthest distance away from Dublin as possible".
The fire is always lit. Shaky hogs it again today. It's been 3 days since he finished his drum tracks. It'll be another while before he's on the kit again. Nial (Herbie) wants to complete the 6 new tracks this week and send the band up to metropolis for a few days to have a break. Juno Falls don't enjoy the idea of going back to Dublin but know it's just for a few days. When they get back it'll be time to write and record again. "Inspiration comes like a flood down here" says Myles welcoming a cup of tea and bending to sit on shakys lap (shaky gets the point and gives Myles his turn by the fire) "when we arrived the first thing we asked Herbie was what song he wanted us to begin with, when his reply was 'I cant really say because it hasn't been written yet.' We all gave each other a very confused look but said nothing". "It's how I work" Herbie remarks. "Its always a case of finding a beautiful inspiring place in the world, forgetting everything you've ever learned and letting the atmosphere take you over. Then we'll see which of the previous blo.tooth tracks fit in the scheme of things once inhibitions are dismantled and true inspiration comes to surface". Herbie then stands up from in front of the desk to have a stretch. The ceiling meets his head with a loud "Fuck". Dara now appears from upstairs. "Ya alright herb?". The room looks tiny. I can't help but have a quite giggle to my-self. Four 6ft tall men in a cottage that feels more like a boat cabin than a high-end recording studio. Nial Macken (Herbie) and his creative partner Nick Seymour (ex-Crowded House bassist) began using the cottage as a retreat to write and record with artists from around the world since 2001. "This is the first time I've ever had a drum kit in here' says Herbie. I glance around for its where-abouts. Expecting a custom built state of the art 'live room' extension of some sort. "We threw the kit up in the other living room there. Fuck what a sound" says Herbie. I somehow think that's precisely what the 20 white fluffy neighbours are thinking.
I get my first listen to a mix of the track they've been working with all morning. The song begins with a matt of acoustic guitars playing what I could best describe as a folky strum, three or four chords pass slowly before the 1st bar ends with a chord darker than any in an Indian raga. The progression repeats and a melodic vocal begins in a wispy discord end refrain sung with nothing more than a whisper "...I don't need your hate mail...I already know what I've done..." Bass and drums fill the latter half of the verse. The mood doesn't change throughout the song. "I honestly think" adds Herbie "that his vocal in the bands version of white Christmas last year is the best I've heard Myles sing. I'm using that song as the template for how I want him to approach his melodies. A closely miked vocal with a soft approach really suits Myles natural tone." I ask can I hear any of the other tracks they've done. "You'll have to wait for the album I'm afraid "says Myles "or visit the web-site, we'll have mp3s up there soon". "I ask if the rest of the album is going to sound as folky as the track they had just played for me. "The album is going to be very laid back, very soothing" says Shaky. Myles laughs "yea, soon we might loose the whole drum thing, yunno, fire Shaky and hire a percussion player". Dara and Herbie have another giggle at Shakys expense "what has three legs and a ass-hole" I'm asked "a drummer" says Dara. Although the room fills with more laughter, I'm not impressed and move on to my next question.
So it's goodbye to electric guitars then?
"We cant say yet. Who knows. 'Loud' might not fit in with what we're doing right now" says Myles, "We like rocking out. It goes with having a dark edge, especially live, but right know we're having fun being more personal and not screaming for attention. This album is something you'll put on at home when you want some peace or time to yourself".
And so my questioning ends, in hope that if I shutup, ill get to hear some more. I disapear into the wallpaper and simply enjoy my private and very special pre-view of one very 'peacefull' album.
